A HEREFORD solicitor has told a court that racist behaviour is still prevalent in many of the county's sports clubs.

Chris Read made the claim while defending two Lads Club players who had called opponents n*ggers.

Tom Dawson, 24, and Jamie Cuthbertson, 25, were filmed making racist remarks while celebrating their side's promotion.

In video footage played to Hereford Magistrates Court last week, Cuthbertson was seen shouting "black players out".

Dawson then responded with "Ludlow n*****s, Ludlow n***** players" before Cuthbertson adds "I hate n*****s".

Lavinia Sole, chair of magistrates, said there was "definitely a racist element" in the "most unpleasant" incident.

But Mr Read claimed the events were not uncommon within the world of sport.

"It was two young men who had far too much to drink and said some stupid things," he said.

"If you trawl through rugby or football clubs this happens. It's the sort of thing young men in sports teams are prone to do and 99 per cent of conversations are never passed to anybody's attention."

Rob Perry, prosecuting, said the video footage was made on May 14 of last year at a party at Hereford Lads Club.

"A number of the team attended including both of these defendants," said Mr Perry.

"During the course of the evening Leon Cooke filmed the pair shouting which was directed towards some of the black football players supposedly from Ludlow."

Mr Perry added that the video was then sent via Facebook to other people before a complaint was made.

Mr Read said that the charge had been amended from that of racial aggravated alarm or distress, which the pair pleaded not guilty to at an earlier hearing, because nobody at the Lads Club party was offended by their behaviour.

"The group were all of the same mind so nobody was disturbed," added Mr Read.

"They were both very drunk and when interviewed by police admitted saying what you can see but had very little memory of the event at all.

"Both young men are of impeccable character and this incident lasts five seconds.

"The level of disturbance was zero."

Chair of magistrates Lavinia Sole said on sentencing: "In our opinion racism is evil and can't exist in this society.

"This behaviour is not to be tolerated."

Cuthbertson, of Folly Lane, Tupsley, Hereford, and Dawson, of Breinton Road, Whitecross, Hereford, were both ordered to pay a £350 fine, £135 in costs and a £35 victim surcharge after admitting the amended charge of being drunk and disorderly.