UK court fines football fan for racist EURO 2020 social media post

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - A football fan from the UK was given a suspended sentence Monday and fined for a racist Facebook post against English football players who missed penalty kicks during the UEFA EURO 2020 final against Italy.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), a non-ministerial government department in England and Wales, said Hugh Laidlaw, 50, was found guilty by the Reading Magistrates’ Court for an offensive message to Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka on the social media platform.

"He was given an eight-week custodial sentence suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a fine of £1,000, costs of £775 and a surcharge of £128," according to the CPS, bringing the total fine to £1,903, or $2.300.

The CPS said Laidlaw claimed his account was hacked.

"Hugh Laidlaw's hateful and racist post was a direct attack on England's players and those who it was shared with were left disgusted and upset,” it said.

"Racist abuse won't be tolerated and, as this case has shown, where offensive content is reported to the police and our legal tests are met, we can successfully bring offenders to justice," said Senior crown prosecutor Benjamin May.

England drew 1-1 with Italy in regular time of the final at London's Wembley Stadium. But the Three Lions lost the European title 3-2 on penalties.

The trio of Rashford, Sancho and Saka missed their penalty kicks.

The Black players suffered racist abuse on social media following the defeat in the penalty shootout.