Twitter troll jailed for racist abuse of Muamba

LONDON – A student who mocked footballer Fabrice Muamba on Twitter after the Bolton Wanderers midfielder collapsed during a match was jailed yesterday for inciting racial hatred.

Liam Stacey, 21, provoked revulsion with comments made while the Bolton Wanderers star still lay on the pitch.The 23-year-old midfielder was left fighting for his life after suffering a cardiac arrest during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur on March 17.Fans in the stadium and those viewing on live television watched in horror as Muamba fell to the ground during the quarter-final clash that was abandoned.Police were inundated with complaints as members of the public, former soccer player Stan Collymore among them, reported the student’s comments.Stacey, a Swansea University third-year biology undergraduate, was quickly tracked down and arrested.Last week he admitted inciting racial hatred when he appeared at Swansea Magistrate’s Court and on Tuesday he was jailed for 56 days at the same court, the Press Association reported.The first of Stacey’s messages began with ‘LOL (laugh out loud), F*** Muamba. He’s dead.’Several people took him to task for his views and he responded with a string of offensive comments aimed at other Twitter users.Muamba remains in intensive care in hospital where his condition is described as serious but stable. – Nampa-Reuters

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