Teenager, 14, Arrested After Video Shows Coventry Fan Taunting Sunderland With Bradley Lowery Photo

A 14-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of a public order offence after video appeared to show a Coventry City fan taunting Sunderland supporters with a photo of Bradley Lowery. The arrest was reported on Tuesday, and the case is now with police.

A public order offence is a broad term in England for behaviour in public that is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. Police make the arrest on suspicion, which means the matter has not yet been decided in court.

The footage came from Coventry's Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday. The Premier League is England's top football division. Bradley Lowery was a Sunderland fan. He died in 2017, aged six, after being diagnosed with a rare childhood cancer.

The boy handed himself in to West Midlands Police. The force said it is investigating the incident and is keeping Bradley Lowery's family updated as the inquiry continues. He has since been bailed, which means he has been released while enquiries carry on.

Coventry City said it is investigating the footage, which has been circulating on social media. The club said it does not tolerate offensive behaviour and will work with the relevant authorities on what action is appropriate.

Bradley's mother, Gemma Lowery, said she does not want hatred directed at the teenager involved. She said she hopes he learns from what he did.

Football crowds have a long history of chants and banter, and most of it stays inside the stadium. Clips filmed on a phone can travel far beyond the ground within hours. In this case, a moment from a football match has reached a family still grieving a boy whose name carried real meaning for Sunderland supporters.