Nicolas Jackson: Man given three-year football banning order for making racist Facebook post about Chelsea striker
A man got a three-year football ban for a racist Facebook post about Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson. John Southwell, 64, made the comment on December 11, 2023. It was about a incident from Chelsea’s 2-0 loss to Everton the day before. Southwell is a Burnley FC fan. He was charged with sending an offensive message online. He admitted this in court on October 8, 2024.
The court fined him £385. He also had to pay £85 in costs and a £138 victim fee. PC Byron Worrall from Lancashire Police said this case was unusual. The ban was for an offense on social media, not at a match. He said it shows racist behavior won’t be tolerated, online or in public. Southwell posted his comment at 12:18 PM. It was under a news article about Jackson. The ban stops Southwell from going to football games for three years. This case shows that online racism can lead to real-world punishments.
It’s a warning to fans who might post offensive things online. The police are taking online racism as seriously as racism at matches. This could change how fans behave on social media. Chelsea lost 2-0 to Everton in the game that sparked the comment. Nicolas Jackson was involved in some controversy during that match. The exact details of what Jackson did aren’t given in this article. The court case happened in Blackburn Magistrates Court. Southwell is from Dale Street, Earby. The police seem pleased with the result of the case.
They hope it will stop others from posting racist comments online. This case links online behavior to football banning orders. It might make fans think twice before posting offensive things about players. The punishment includes both a ban and a fine. This shows the courts are taking these offenses seriously. The victim surcharge suggests there’s recognition of the harm these comments can cause. Even though Jackson wasn’t directly involved in the court case, he was the target of the racist post. This case shows how players can be protected from online abuse. The police statement suggests they’re adapting to deal with online racism in football.
