A 60-year-old man has received a suspended prison sentence for posting racist remarks about England defender Jess Carter online.
Nigel Dewale, from Great Harwood, Lancashire, shared two posts on his TikTok account, using the handle Bogeyman, during Euro 2025 last summer.
Dewale made the posts while intoxicated at home, responding to a news article concerning the police’s investigation into prior racial abuse directed at Carter following England’s matches against France and Sweden during the tournament.
– England’s Jess Carter: ‘I didn’t want to leave hotel’ amid Euros abuse
The racist messages were linked back to Dewale, leading to his arrest and subsequent charges.
On Wednesday, he was sentenced to six weeks in custody, suspended for 12 months, at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court.
He pleaded guilty earlier to sending a grossly offensive message via a public communications network.
Carter, 28, currently with NWSL’s Gotham FC, was part of the Lionesses team that successfully defended their title in Switzerland.
Prosecutor Graeme Tindall noted that the initial racist abuse forced Carter to stop reviewing her social media accounts, which her sister began to oversee instead.
This was the first time Carter faced such abuse, which impacted her confidence and left her feeling “anxious and genuinely scared,” according to Tindall.
Mr. Tindall remarked: “She did not want to leave her hotel. She feared encountering someone who had made the comments.”
The former Birmingham and Chelsea defender reported the harassment to the Football Association, prompting a police investigation.
In July, a TikTok user addressed the racism Carter had faced, leading to Dewale’s response.
Bradley Hayes, Dewale’s defense attorney, told the court: “If there’s one decision he wishes he could take back, it’s this one. It has left him feeling ashamed. He has disappointed himself, his family, and his community.”
Hayes further conveyed Dewale’s sincere apology to Carter, her family, and the broader women’s football community, acknowledging the disgracefulness of his actions.
Dewale, who serves as the primary carer for his 20-year-old daughter with epilepsy, expressed concern that an immediate prison sentence would severely disadvantage her.
District Judge Tony Watkin said Dewale had “come very close indeed” to receiving jail time but took his daughter’s situation into account, as well as Dewale’s “realistic prospects for rehabilitation.”
The judge told him: “You targeted her solely because she was a prominent female footballer, causing significant distress and fear to your victim. Some may perceive offenses committed online as less serious, but the opposite is true.”
– Man pleads guilty to sending ‘abhorrent’ social media messages to Carter
“Such messages have real-world repercussions. In this instance, they forced someone who achieved recognition through her talent to alter her behavior.”
“Your conviction should send a clear message that people who send such messages are not anonymous and can be tracked down by law enforcement.”
Dewale, residing on Prospect Street, received a four-year football banning order, although the court acknowledged he hadn’t attended matches in “many years.”
Additionally, he is subject to a three-month curfew, must complete a community order involving 10 rehabilitation days, and pay £85 in court costs and a £145 victim surcharge.
Dewale also received a concurrent four-week jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, after pleading guilty to possessing an offensive weapon, an extendable baton, in a private location.
Following the sentencing, John Moran from the Crown Prosecution Service stated: “While England’s women were claiming a second consecutive Euros victory, Dewale opted for racism over patriotism. This case serves as a strong reminder to so-called keyboard warriors that online actions have consequences. We will not tolerate this type of social media offending, and those who spread hate, on or off the pitch, will face justice.”
Information from PA contributed to this report.