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Two women have gone on trial after denying committing religiously aggravated harassment by tearing up a copy of the Koran during a Birmingham City match at St Andrew’s.

Middlesbrough FC fans Julie Phillips, 50, and Gemma Parkin, 18, both say they ripped pages from a book but denied knowing it was the Koran last December.

The pair were at St Andrew’s where Blues drew 2 - 2 with Boro.

The court was told that it was during the second half of the match that stewards saw a book being handed around the away fans and being ripped up.

After enquiries it emerged the book was the Koran.

Parkin, of Kimberley Drive, Middlesbrough, and Phillips, of Kenmore Road, Middlesbrough, were among Boro fans pointed out to police.

They are appearing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court today (May 1) each facing a charge of religiously aggravated harassment, which they deny.

Giving evidence, match steward Matthew Corns told the court he heard chants about Muslims and the Koran as the book was passed around and torn up on December 7.

(Proceeding)