A RACIST football fan who abused ex-England defender Rio Ferdinand has escaped jail after sending the offensive messages.

Robert Whippe, 64, sent the disgusting emoji’s after he commentated on the Euro 2020 final last year.

After the Three Lions lost in a penalty shoot out to Italy, Whippe used “racist and derogatory” emoji’s to describe Rio’s commentary of the match.

Whippe pleaded to two counts of sending grossly offensive messages to the former Manchester United Star at St Albans Magistrates Court.

He has now been handed a 12-week jail term, suspended for a year, after police tracked his tweets by using automatic software.

The court heard how the tweets were sent on the morning of July 8, following England's match against Denmark, and on July 11, after England lost to Italy in a penalty shootout.

After he was arrested by Hertfordshire Police Whippe initially admitted posting the tweets but denied any racist intent – claiming they were a joke.

The court also heard how during an interview with a probation officer, Whippe initially claimed he had used the emojis accidentally but did a "U-turn" and accepted that was not true, telling the officer: "I feel awful about what I have done."

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Deputy Senior District Judge Tan Ikram told Whippe his claims were "nonsense" as he handed him a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

He said: "Everyone is entitled to disagree and respectfully disagree with the views of those who are put in those positions.

"But what you did was not only disagreed but you used racist language, racist language through those symbols and emojis.

"In interview you said it was a joke, you didn't realise it was racist – nonsense. Of course you realised it was racist.

"Those two symbols are often used by those who want to express racist views towards black people and that's what you did."

He added: "There can be no doubt that anyone who uses symbols such as monkeys and bananas has only one intention and motive behind their actions and that is to ridicule, mock and belittle through those racist symbols."

It was completely unwarranted and part of a disease in football.

Previously CPS senior crown prosecutor for CPS Thames and Chiltern Matthew Gauntlett said: “Whippe committed a racist attack on Rio Ferdinand as he was giving his expert opinion and commentary on the Euro 2020 final.

“It was completely unwarranted and part of a disease in football that the CPS is playing its part to eradicate.

“I would like to thank Rio Ferdinand for his cooperation and support for this prosecution in what must have been a distressing time for him.”

Deputy Chief Crown prosecutor for CPS West Midlands Douglas Mackay added: “Hate crime has no place within society let alone sport. 

“Recently we have seen an increase of reports in racist abuse online and in stadiums in football matches and we are determined to play our part in cutting this out.”

The CPS said it is currently working with football clubs, player organisations and the police to explain how such crimes are prosecuted and what information is needed to pass the charging threshold.

The ex-England defender has previously spoken out about beint the subject of vile racist abuse.

Abuse was also directed towards Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho on social media after they missed penalties in the Euro 2020 final.

Ferdinand appeared in front of MP’s to talk about the vile abuse that footballers are being targeted with.

He was giving evidence to a Parliamentary committee examining the Draft Online Harms Bill, which is designed to force big tech firms to take responsibility.  

'BAFFLES ME'

He said: “It baffles me, it is disheartening, the data is telling us racism is here and it is back.

“We saw in the Euros when three black players missed penalties… the first thing I thought was let's see what happens on social media. I expected what happened to happen. That is the disappointing thing. 

“There is AI there for so many aspects on social media platforms…

“Copyright works… but we can't find it here for certain words or certain emoji’s or terminologies that are used on social media platforms. That is baffling. The technology is there.

“Perpetrators are allowed stand behind a curtain, they are anonymous. That is an absolute problem.

“If you threw a banana on a pitch there would be repercussions but online you can post a banana to a black player with racist connotations and you will be fine. How is that right? It can't be.

“I have to sit there and have breakfast with my kids and explain to them what the monkey emoji means in that context what the banana means -'why is there a banana on your post?

“Me having to do that in this day and age when there is AI and resources available… you would like to think these people would put those things in place.”

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