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A man has been given a suspended sentence after sending online abuse to Rio Ferdinand following the Euro 2020 final.
Robert Whippe, 54, pleaded guilty to two offences of “sending a grossly offensive message” at an earlier hearing.
He was jailed for 12 weeks, suspended for 12 months.
The messages, which included emojis of a racist nature, were posted in the aftermath of England’s defeat to Italy last July in the final of Euro 2020. Ferdinand had been working as a pundit at the game.
Whippe was interviewed by the police under caution and admitted posting the two tweets but denied any racist intent and claimed the emojis were chosen at random.
Ferdinand did not attend the sentencing at St Albans Magistrates Court, but said in a written statement that he found the emojis “grossly offensive, deeply upsetting and driven by hostility over the colour of my skin”.
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