AN England football fan called a police officer a 'Nazi' nearly an hour after Gareth Southgate's side beat their long-standing rivals Germany at Euro 2020 last June.

Brooklan Dix, of Salthouse Road, Barrow, uttered the insult towards a Cumbria Police officer on Dalkeith Street in Barrow after England had just beaten Germany 2-0.

The 19-year-old, who pleaded guilty to the public order offence at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court on Thursday, September 2, had been abusive towards Cumbria Police officers prior to his arrest on June 29 - prosecutor Peter Kelly argued.

Mr Kelly told the court: "The incident took place on 29 June, the significance of that date is that it was during the European Championship matches and England had been playing Germany on that day.

"On that particular evening, the officer said he had an encounter with the defendant and said he had saw him at around 7.00pm.

"Police were around a particular premises and the defendant was heard repeatedly swearing at the officer.

"The officer at the time seemed to believe that the defendant had been drinking alcohol."

Mr Kelly then explained that the officers later attended an incident on Dalkeith Street at around 7.50pm.

Bar licensees on the street were instructed by the officers not to serve Dix any alcohol - Mr Kelly told magistrates..

Dix then began swearing at the officers again before calling one a 'German Nazi'.

However, Mr Kelly noted that none of the police officers present were of German nationality.

In mitigation, defence solicitor Karen Templeton told the court that her client, Dix, had been out watching the game and drinking alcohol.

Miss Templeton said songs were being chanted about Germany whilst Dix was at the pub and believes it may explain why he had launched the insult.

Miss Templeton told the court: "You have heard that Mr Dix has never been in trouble for anything like this before.

"He got carried away with the events that evening.

"I understand that England had won against Germany for the first time in a long time.

"He had been in a pub, there have been football songs about Germany and this comment is perhaps a spill over from that.

"He has come out of the pub, he was perhaps a bit disorderly and had a bit to drink.

"The problem he feels with this is that he is no way a racist person.

"He has had numerous friends and relationships with young ladies from different ethnic backgrounds.

"He doesn’t regard himself as racist. and is sorry for what has happened, certainly the disorderly part.

"And I ask you to give him credit for his guilty plea today."

Dix was handed a £199 by magistrates for the offence.

Chair of the bench Robert Maddock remarked: "The level of harm for this offence is low, but it is aggravated by the fact that you had been drinking and there were people around.

"We have taken into account your small record.

"This fine would have been more if you hadn't pleaded guilty today."