Suspended sentence for man who racially abused Jess Carter online

A 60-year-old man from Great Harwood, Lancashire admitted posting racist messages about England defender Jess Carter during the 2025 Women's Euros. At Blackburn Magistrates’ Court he received a suspended six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, along with 10 days of community work, a four-year football banning order, a three-month curfew and a £239 fine.\n\nDistrict Judge Tony Watkin explained he came very close to sending him to jail but took into account the impact on Dewale’s family, particularly his 20-year-old daughter who has epilepsy and is cared for by him.\n\nSupporters of Carter included the FA chief executive Mark Bullingham, who condemned the 'disgusting racism' she faced online. Carter, 28, from Warwick, now plays for Gotham FC in the National Women’s Soccer League after earlier stints with Chelsea and Birmingham City in the UK. She has stepped away from social media after the abuse.\n\nProsecutors said the messages used a derogatory reference to her race and made unfounded claims linking race to crimes such as murder and grooming. The messages were posted under the username 'Bogeyman' while England defended their trophy in the tournament. The court heard Dewale had been drinking at home when he replied to a news article about online racial abuse aimed at Carter.\n\nCarter had previously said she would step away from social media due to the racist abuse she faced online during last year’s Euros.

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