Ian Wright forgives Kerry teen who racially abused him

The former England and Arsenal footballer also urged Patrick O’Brien 'to change for the better'.

Patrick O’Brien (pictured) had sent “crass” and “racist” messages to the former Arsenal and England footballer late at night after he lost a virtual soccer match on a PlayStation game, FIFA, where a virtual Wright was downloaded to play for him, Tralee District Court heard.

The former England footballer Ian Wright had been shocked by the abuse he received from a Tralee teenager – the kind of abuse he might have expected to hear years ago, a court has been told.

However, Ian Wright believed in “redemption”. In one of two short victim impact statements read to the court, he forgave his young late-night harasser and has urged him and those who may have taught him or enabled such hate, “to change for the better”.