A MAN arrested for wearing a sick T-shirt mocking 96 Liverpool fans who died in the 1989 Hillsborough disaster has been fined £600 after pleading guilty to a public order offence.

Paul Grange, of Lower Wick, told Worcester Magistrates’ Court he was ashamed of what he had done and had deservedly lost his home, job, friends and relationship.

Mr Grange — who admitted a charge of displaying abusive writing likely to cause distress — was also ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and £135 in costs.

Representing himself in court, Mr Grange told magistrates he now realised the hurt caused by the shirt, which disgustingly described the Hillsborough tragedy as “God’s way of helping” a pest control firm.

Images of the shirt, which Mr Grange openly wore in a pub beer garden on Sunday May 29, caused widespread anger on social media.

After hearing a victim impact statement from a woman whose brother died at Hillsborough, Grange told magistrates: “Hearing that statement, it’s hit home, the personal effect of it.

“It (the T-shirt) was only supposed to be between friends. And until it went public I didn’t realise how badly it affected people.

“Because of my own actions, I have lost my home, my job, my friends, my family and relationship. And it’s deserved — I don’t think it’s any less than I deserve.”

Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the T-shirt and a second shirt bearing similar offensive comments.

Hillsborough has been described as the worst peacetime disaster in Britain’s history. An independent panel and subsequent inquest jury found that there had been multiple failings and an attempted cover-up by South Yorkshire police.