A football fan who racially abused former England defender Rio Ferdinand following the Euro 2020 final has been handed a 12-week suspended sentence. Robert Whippe, 64, admitted directing two tweets featuring monkey and banana emojis at the commentator over his commentary on the championship, St Albans Magistrates’ Court heard.
The judge was told that Mr Ferdinand had said he found the tweets “grossly offensive” and having to explain them to his children “deeply upsetting”, adding that he wanted the perpetrator to be “prosecuted and educated”.
The court heard how the tweets were sent on the morning of July 8, following England’s match against Denmark, and on July 11, after England lost to Italy in a penalty shootout. Whippe’s tweets were traced by police using automatic software designed to trawl social media for possible abuse, the judge was told.
