Racist app taken down after Twitter-Ten days after posting racially offensive commentson Twitter during a soccer match, British student Liam Stacey has been sentenced to 56 days in jail.

Stacey, 21, tweeted the comments on St. Patrick's Day using the handle @LiamStacey9 after U.K. soccer star Fabrice Muamba, who plays for the Bolton Wanderers, collapsed on the field during a live televised soccer match. His initial tweet, "LOL, F___ Muamba. He's dead!!! HAHA," incited a host of backlash from other users, who found the remark offensive. Stacey responded back with more commentary, which is when the racial language ensued.

In his court hearing yesterday, Stacey "admitted inciting racial hatred." When authorities first arrested him under a "public order offense" the day after he posted the comments, he had tried to distance himself from the tweets, saying his account had been hacked.

Upon initial questioning, Stacey told police he was drunk when he posted the tweets. When he received the court sentencing yesterday, "he broke down in tears," according to the BBC. He has since also been suspended from his university until further notice.
Prosecutor Jim Brisbane said the racist language was the cause for incitement. "Racist language is inappropriate in any setting and through any media," he said. "We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that the comments made online are somehow beyond the law."

In the U.K., police forces "regularly take action against those who post racially offensive remarks on Twitter," though these actions by the police are rarely made public.

As expected, Twitter users are reacting to the sentencing online, with comments ranging from supporting the punishment to wondering if it is too much.

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