Eddie Jones' railway abuser who pleaded not guilty learns fate

One of the men who verbally abused Eddie Jones outside a railway station in Manchester on February 25th following England's loss to Scotland in the Six Nations has appeared in court today.

25-year-old Dale Cleeton from Edinburgh, pleaded not guilty in May, but has now been fined £234.

The Express reports that Magistrate Mark Aspden described the case as “particularly unpleasant".

Cleeton, who didn't appear in court in Manchester Magistrates Court on Tuesday for "financial reasons" admitted using threatening behaviour and was fined £54, ordered to pay prosecution costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Three other men from Edinburgh, Richie Cleeton, 22, Connor Inglis, 25, and Brett Grant, 23, were fined in May after they pleaded guilty to using threatening abusive words and behaviour, or disorderly behaviour, likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress at Manchester Magistrates' Court.

Cleeton, of Carrick Knowe Avenue, was fined £120, Inglis, of Cornhill Terrace, received a fine of £105 and Grant, of Drum Crescent, was fined £140. Each man also had to pay £115 court costs.

Video footage of the men abusing Mr Jones (58) went viral on the internet the day after Scotland beat England 25-13 in the Six Nations.

Reacting at the time, Jones said: “I try and do the right thing by the fans but if that happens then you’ve got to have a look at your own safety,” said Jones. “I never knock back a request for a selfie unless I’m racing to somewhere. I did a lot.

For me to travel on public transport, I thought was OK. I’m a human being. I don’t consider myself any different from anyone else. But I’ll make sure I won’t in future. It’s as simple as that. I can’t, because it was shown on Sunday what happens when I do.

“That’s the world we live in. It wasn’t comfortable. It was a bit of both [physical and verbal]. After a loss, no I wouldn’t [catch a train again]. It’s part of the challenge.

“When I came to England, I knew there were going to be challenges. As an Australian coaching England, there were always going to be challenges and that’s just one of them.”

Asked whether he was surprised by the incident, Jones added: “Massively, but that’s the world we live in.

“I don’t want to get into it, guys. I don’t want to make a big deal about it. It’s over and done with. We march on – we’ve got a game against France.”