A 19-year-old has been jailed after racially abusing Manchester United star Marcus Rashford.
Justin Lee Price from Worcester was sentenced on Wednesday to six weeks in jail, after racially abusing the English winger after his penalty miss against Italy in the summer.
This is according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), as reported by The Guardian.
“Price targeted a footballer based on the colour of his skin and his action was clearly racist and a hate crime. Those who racially abuse footballers ruin the game for all. I hope this case sends out the message that we will not tolerate racism and offenders will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” the CPS said.
Price sent a racial slur on Twitter, and initially denied sending the tweet. Whilst being questioned a second time, the 19-year-old admitted taking to Twitter to abuse the England international.
To try and avoid any serious trouble, Price decided to change his Twitter username, to aid him in denying the ordeal. Fortunately, this move didn’t help his case.
All England players, regardless of the colour of their skin, should be hailed as heroes after their efforts in the summer. Penalties in high-pressure situations aren’t easy, despite what fans may say whilst sitting in their armchair at home.
It’s excellent news to see people being punished for their actions, as many over the years have gone under the radar.
Many people believe they can say whatever they like because it’s behind their phone or computer screen, but they don’t realise how much their actions can affect those involved.