Austin Healey on online abuse: 'It does make you more aggressive, more snappy with your kids'

BT Sport pundit Austin Healey. Picture: Ramsey Cardy / SPORTSFILE

Former England rugby player Austin Healey has revealed the extent of the online abuse he receives, and how it can affect his home life.

Healey, who says he’s blocked about 20,000 trolls on Twitter, told BT Sport how extreme the hate speech directed his way can get.

“Pretty much every single day since I went on social media back in 2012, I’ve had varying levels of hate speech.

“It does add up, it does build up on you. Even if you are really thick-skinned and you can take things with a pinch of salt, when you’re getting a thousand a day, it does change your psychology somewhat.

“It does make you more aggressive, it does make you more snappy with your kids.

“You do find problems are slightly bigger, even if you think it isn’t affecting you, it does affect you.

“Particularly bad ones are when they include your family. I’ve had ones where they’ve said I hope your daughters die, I hope your wife gets cancer. Horrendous abuse, like horrendous stuff.

“I think anonymity has to go. I think there’s no place for it. People have to take responsibility for their actions, as you do in day-to-day life. 

“It’s your decision ultimately what you’re going to say to people, and if you would say it to them in the street, then maybe type it. If you have the courage to say it in the street and hurt them, then ask yourself the question, what sort of person you are?"