Student jailed for mocking stricken Muamba on Twitter

A student who mocked footballer Fabrice Muamba on Twitter after he collapsed during a match was jailed yesterday for inciting racial hatred.

Liam Stacey, 21, provoked revulsion with comments made while the Bolton star still lay on the pitch.

The 23-year-old midfielder was left fighting for his life after suffering a cardiac arrest during the FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham on March 17.

Police were inundated with complaints as members of the public reported the student’s comments. Stacey, a Swansea University biology undergraduate, was quickly tracked down and arrested. Last week he admitted inciting racial hatred when he appeared briefly at Swansea Magistrates’ Court and yesterday he was jailed for 56 days at the same court.

The first of Stacey’s messages began with “LOL (laugh out loud). Fuck Muamba. He’s dead!!!”

A number of people took him to task for his views and he responded with a further string of offensive comments aimed at other Twitter users.