A student who mocked Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba, on Twitter, when he collapsed during a FA Cup match from a cardiac arrest was jailed on Tuesday for inciting racial hatred on the social network.

21 year-old Swansea University undergraduate, Liam Stacey, provoked anger from other Twitter users who were offended by his insensitive comments at the time that Muamba lay on the field after his sudden collapse. Among them were fellow Premier League players and former soccer player Stan Collymore.

Police were then inundated with complaints and forwarded his posts by disgusted fellow users which started with ‘LOL [laugh out loud]. **** Muamba. He’s dead!!!’

Stacey was soon tracked down my police and arrested. Last week he admitted inciting racial hatred when he appeared at Swansea Magistrates’ Court and was jailed for 56 days at the same court.

Prosecutor Lisa Jones also described in court some of the other racist tweets Stacey directed at other Twitter users, some of whom were black men, who took issue with his original tweet about Muamba. Stacey branded people who criticised him on Twitter as “wogs” and told one to “go pick some cotton”.

The court also heard that at the time of his arrest, Stacey admitted that he had been drunk at the time of the incident having drunk eight pints of beer.

District Judge John Charles told him that “In my view there is no alternative to an immediate prison sentence.” Stacey broke down as he was taken away in handcuffs to a holding cell beneath the court.

Stacey could also be thrown off his biology degree course after his fellow students launched a campaign to have him kicked out, a petition which now has more than 200 signatures.

Muamba’s condition is improving and he is said to be walking around, watching television and eating.

Source: Daily Mail