BOY, 14, ARRESTED OVER BRADLEY LOWERY PHOTO AT COVENTRY MATCH
West Midlands Police arrested a 14-year-old boy on suspicion of a public order offence after a video appeared to show him taunting Sunderland supporters with a photograph of the late Bradley Lowery. The boy has since been bailed. Footage emerged after Coventry City's 3-1 win over Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday at the Coventry Building Society Arena. The five-second clip shows a young spectator in the home end grinning while pointing to a picture of Bradley on a mobile phone. West Midlands Police confirmed that an investigation is under way.
Bradley Lowery was a lifelong Sunderland supporter whose battle with neuroblastoma, a rare form of childhood cancer, drew attention from supporters across football before his death in July 2017 at the age of six. The Bradley Lowery Foundation was established the following month and has since helped families raise funds for treatment and equipment not readily available through the NHS. It is not the first time Bradley's name has featured in this type of incident. Sheffield Wednesday supporter Dale Houghton was sacked from his job and given a 12-month suspended prison sentence after a similar incident in 2023.
Coventry City said in a statement: "Coventry City FC is aware of footage circulating on social media in connection with an incident during our Premier League fixture against Sunderland." The statement continued: "The club does not tolerate offensive behaviour and will liaise with the relevant authorities to determine the appropriate course of action." The boy voluntarily handed himself in to West Midlands Police following the match. No further details on the outcome of the investigation have been confirmed.