Student jailed for offensive Muamba tweets

A student has been jailed for 56 days after posting offensive messages about Fabrice Muamba on Twitter.





Liam Stacey has been jailed for 56 days after posting offensive messages about Fabrice Muamba on Twitter.


The 21-year-old student admitted inciting racial hatred last week at Swansea Magistrates' Court after posting messages including "… He's dead."


Stacey posted the sick comments while Muamba lay collapsed on the football pitch during a match between Tottenham and Bolton Wanderers.


The Swansea University biology undergraduate was tracked down and arrested following the offensive posts.




One of Liam Stacey's vile tweets


Stacey wept as he was handcuffed and led away into a holding cell below Swansea Magistrates' Court.


On Tuesday District Judge John Charles said the tweeted were "vile and abhorrent", adding: "In my view there is no alternative to an immediate prison sentence."


Last week Stacey appeared at the same court to admit the charges. He was said to be close to tears in court as he heard he could be jailed for the offensive messages on the social network site.



Student Liam Stacey in court last week



Gareth Jones, defending, said Stacey "is completely ashamed of his behaviour that evening".


He added that the student felt "genuine remorse" for his actions and was not a racist person.


He has since been suspended from university with a spokesperson saying: "The student remains suspended from the university pending the conclusion of our disciplinary proceedings."


The court was told the biology student had been drinking before the online outburst.