The man who sent racially abusive messages to England defender Jess Carter during last year’s Women’s European Championship has been given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. Nigel Dewale is a 60-year-old man who admitted to posting the abuse on social media with nickname ‘Bogeyman’ during the tournament.
Along with the sentence, Dewale who is a residence of Great Harwood, Lancashire has been handed a four-year football ban, ordered to complete 10 days of community work, placed under a three-month curfew and fined £239 at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court.
“This case should be a stark reminder to so-called keyboard warriors: online actions have consequences,” John Moran for the Crown Prosecution Service said.
“This type of social media offending will not be tolerated. Those who peddle hate, on or off the pitch, will be brought to justice.”
Meet 60-year-old Nigel Dewale.
He’s been sentenced to 6 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, 10 days of community work, 3 months curfew, £239 fine, and 4 years football banning order for racially abusing England footballer Jess Carter during the Women’s Euro. pic.twitter.com/9OvB5Lwo06
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) March 25, 2026
Police arrested him in August after the 28-year-old defender said she received racist messages on her TikTok account during the Women’s Euros, which England won by beating Spain on penalties in the final.
Carter told the BBC, “It was the first time where I lacked in confidence on the pitch. I didn’t want to leave the hotel in case the people who were saying those things were going to be in Switzerland with us.”
Her comments came after recieving disgusting racist messages on TikTok by a man during the tournament, in which he described people with brown skin as “murderers” and “groomers.”
“[Dewale’s] comments were totally abhorrent, they caused emotional distress for Miss Carter and her family, and I welcome the sentence handed to him today,” said the Cheshire’s Chief Constable Mark Roberts, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s football policing as mentioned by BBC.
The defence lawyer Bradley Hayes told the court, “If there was ever a decision he made that he wishes he could take back, then it is this decision,” as reported by ESPN.
“It has filled him with a sense of shame. He has let himself down, his family and his community.
“He has instructed me to make a wholehearted apology to Ms Carter, her family and the wider women’s football community for his actions which he accepts are disgraceful and which he regrets deeply.
“It has been a salutary lesson for him to fully understand the consequences of his actions.”
(With Reuters inputs)
