Troll guilty of racially abusing Rio Ferdinand
A FOOTBALL fan who racially abused former England star Rio Ferdinand during Euro 2020 has been handed a 12-week suspended prison sentence.
Robert Whippe, 64, admitted directing two tweets with monkey and banana emojis at the BBC pundit, a court heard.
Mr Ferdinand was said to find the tweets “grossly offensive”. He said having to explain them to his children was “deeply upsetting”.
St Albans magistrates court was told the former Manchester United defender wanted Whippe to be “prosecuted and educated”.
Judge Tan Ikram said: “Everyone is entitled to respectfully disagree with the views of those put in those positions. But you used racist language through those symbols and emojis.”
Tweets were sent on July 8 last year after England’s match against Denmark and on July 11 after the Three Lions lost to Italy in the final following a penalty shootout.
Police traced them by using automatic software designed to trawl social media for possible abuse, the judge was told. Whippe admitted making the comments but initially
denied racist intent, claiming they were “a joke”. The court also heard he told a probation officer he used the emojis accidentally but did a “U-turn”, adding: “I feel awful about what I have done.”
Judge Ikram told Whippe, from St Albans, his claims were “nonsense” and gave him a 12-week jail term, suspended for 12 months.
He added: “Of course you realised it was racist.”
Whippe, who had pleaded guilty to two counts of sending a grossly offensive message, was ordered to pay £120 in “symbolic” compensation to Mr Ferdinand. He must also carry out 160 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activities.