A man who racially abused Brentford striker Ivan Toney on social media has been banned from every soccer stadium in Britain for three years in what police described on Tuesday as a «historic ruling».
Antonio Neill sent a racist message to Toney on his Instagram account after the striker scored twice against Brighton in a Premier League match on October 14.
Police launched an investigation after Toney shared a photo of the abuse and the message was traced to Neill, 24, who lives in Blyth, a town in northern England.
JUVENTUS WOMEN’S FOOTBALL UNDER FIRE FOR RACIST TWEET
Neill appeared before Newcastle magistrates court on January 25 and pleaded guilty to sending an offensive message.
On Monday, he was given a four-month sentence suspended for two years, as well as a three-year soccer banning order, the first issued under a government law that became law in 2022. That expanded the scope of prohibition orders. Issued for online hate crimes involving a person with a connection to a soccer organization.
Ivan Toney is pictured during a soccer match between Brentford and Fulham in west London, on March 6, 2023. (AP Photo/David Cliff)
3 FRENCH FOOTBALL PLAYERS SUBJECTED TO RACIAL ABUSE AFTER THE LOSS OF THE WORLD CUP
«If you’re going to choose to be vile and abusive to others, doing it behind a computer screen or on your phone doesn’t mean you’ll get away with it. Far from it,» Northumbria police and crime commissioner said, Kim McGuinness. she said in a statement released Tuesday.
The order prohibits Neill from attending any regulated football matches in Britain and also prevents him from traveling abroad for international friendlies, qualifying matches and tournaments.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Brentford said the club expected sentences for online abuse to increase and called for social media companies to remove all hateful content to make their platforms safe for everyone.