​A rugby fan accused of racially abusing a Welsh policeman after the England-Wales international last year has been bound over to keep the peace.

At Gloucester Crown Court the prosecution dropped a charge of racially aggravated harassment against John Farley, 59, of Shepardine Road, Lydney.

Farley was to have stood trial accused of swearing at PC David Reynolds because he was Welsh when he saw him outside the Great Wall takeaway in Lydney in the early hours of February 15 last year.

Wales had earlier beaten England 23-15 in last season’s home internationals.

Farley allegedly told the officer: “You made a big mistake – I will find you, I will burn you, your girlfriend and your family.”

At court prosecutor David Maunder said the crown had decided not to proceed with the charge and would not offer any evidence.

“The racial element of the charge is that he was abusive towards a Welsh police officer,” said Mr Maunder.

“It is not perhaps the crime of the century although no doubt distressing for the officer.”

He said Farley’s defence lawyers had offered a guilty plea to a less serious public disorder charge.

But Judge Martin Picton said it was now too late for a new alternative charge to be brought because it had to be done within six months of the alleged offence.

After an adjournment for the prosecution to consider the situation, Mr Maunder offered no evidence and said he understood Farley was prepared to be bound over.

That means he will get fined if he is up in court again for a similar offence during the next year.

Jason Coulter, defending, said: “He accepts that the language he used may have been overheard by others, and maybe the policeman himself, who might have offended and upset.”

The judge told Farley: “If you behave again in the way which led to these proceedings in the next 12 months or breach the peace in some other manner you will forfeit £200.”