CROSSED THE LINE
World champion quit social media after death threats to family and says: OK, target me, but not my wife and kids
ROB CROSS left social media after a keyboard crank sent his family death threats.
The reigning PDC world champion faces Cristo Reyes in Round Three at Alexandra Palace tonight in the tournament’s last match before Christmas after a year of patchy form.
The former Hastings electrician’s celebrity has come at a price – after one cyber-stalker trolled fatherof-three Cross online.
“He said he wished all my kids dead,” revealed Cross. “He said I would live but my wife and kids would die.
“He said I should live unhappily alone for the rest of my days.
“I could probably accept that kind of stuff if it was aimed at me, but when it comes down to your own flesh and blood, like my kids, it’s not very nice.
“I’ve got to admit I don’t go on social media any more because of it – I just have it organised by other people for me now.
“My family are everything to me – they make my life tick, and if I didn’t have them I wouldn’t be coming here as a defending world champion.
“I would probably be an alcoholic or a drop-out.
“They are a massive part of me, probably more than I’m worth, and for a loner to go out of his way to go after them is out of order.
“Like I said, it’s not a big deal if they come after me. I’m thick-skinned enough to cope with it.
“It was only one geezer, not long after I won the world championship, but it was enough for me to switch off social media and have nothing to do with it.
“If you want to be nasty to someone, you should be nasty to them directly to their face, rather than drag other people into it.
“For sure I know that if I had something to say to anyone, I would have the guts to say it to their face.
“I wouldn’t go behind their back and scare their family.
“I didn’t report it to the police – I just came straight off social media. In fairness, the guy responsible was traced to Germany, and good luck to him.
“I hope he’s very happy with himself, but everyone else suffers now because I’m not posting anything on social media again.
“I’m not going back – when you become a world champion, it doesn’t even enter your brain that a crank will send your family death threats from Germany. I have got to admit, I thought my year was going to be a little bit easier than it’s worked out.
“But in a way I’m glad I’m away from all that stuff, because I can only imagine the abuse I would have got for the way I was playing earlier!”
Cross, 28, is by no means the first sporting celebrity to suffer at the hands of trolls.
British speed skater Elise Christie was sent death threats before the Winter Olympics of 2014, in Sochi, where she crashed out of medal contention.
And England footballer Karen Carney was sent messages threatening rape.
Cross added: “Cyber bullying and threats can be really damaging.
“Because it’s not just going to affect darts – it could be a footballer or any person who tries to put themselves in the limelight.
“I’ll just look after my own and get on with my career – because I’m only just getting started, and I’m not finished.
“I want to win a lot more major trophies and I’m not going to be distracted.”
The threatening troll was traced to Germany... I hope he’s happy