A man who sent racist abuse to England defender Jess Carter has been sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months. Nigel Dewale, 60, targeted Carter's TikTok account during the Women's Euro 2025 tournament with messages that included derogatory racial references and baseless claims linking race to violent crime.

Dewale, from Great Harwood in Lancashire, also received a four-year football banning order, 10 days' community service, a three-month curfew, and a £239 fine at Blackburn Magistrates' Court. The court heard he was 'in drink' at home when he responded to a news article about police investigating online racial abuse Carter received after England's matches against France and Sweden.

Carter, who plays for Gotham FC in the US, previously said she stepped away from social media after racist abuse during last year's Women's Euros. FA chief executive Mark Bullingham condemned the 'disgusting racism' faced by the 28-year-old central defender. Lancashire Police traced the messages through the UK Football Policing Unit, which said Dewale admitted making the comments when interviewed. The abuse left Carter feeling anxious and unwilling to leave her hotel.