A Burnley supporter, John Southwell, has been issued a three-year football banning order after making a racist comment on Facebook about Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson. The offensive post was made on December 11, 2023, under an article related to a controversial incident involving Jackson during Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat to Everton.
The 64-year-old Southwell, from Earby, posted the comment from his home and was later charged with sending an offensive, indecent, or menacing message via a public communication network. He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on October 8, 2024, where he admitted his guilt. As a result, Southwell was fined £385, ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs, and a £138 victim surcharge.
Unusual Social Media Offence
What makes this case stand out is that the banning order was issued for an offence committed online, rather than at a football match. PC Byron Worrall from Lancashire Police’s East Division commented, “This case is unusual in that a football banning order has been issued for an offence committed away from an actual fixture and on social media. I welcome the sentence and hope it sends a strong message that racist behaviour of any kind will not be tolerated, whether in public or behind a keyboard.”
This verdict serves as a reminder that abusive behaviour online will not go unpunished, and efforts to tackle racism in football continue both on and off the pitch.
