BRIGHTON striker Neal Maupay has thanked police after the online troll who sent him death threats was successfully prosecuted.
The Frenchman was subjected to vile abuse from Singaporean man Derek Ng De Ren, 19, after a match last year and the teenager has now been convicted of harassment.
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Thanks to the Premier League’s online abuse reporting system – which was launched in June – Singaporean authorities were able to track down the sender of the disgusting messages.
And on Wednesday, Maupay welcomed the conviction.
He said: “I would like to thank the club and Premier League for the support they showed me in this matter and the professionalism in dealing with it, as well as the police and courts in Singapore.
“The vile and toxic abuse of which I was on the receiving end is a daily occurrence for many professional athletes and public figures.
“And I hope this goes someway to showing those online trolls that it is totally unacceptable and that the authorities are prepared to take the necessary action.”
The Prem’s system allows players, managers and their families to report discriminatory abuse online.
Cases are then reviewed by the league and reported to the relevant social media platforms as well as the police.
The Crown Prosecution Service and other relevant authorities at home and abroad will also be contacted so they can take the necessary legal action.
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On Wednesday, the Prem chief executive Richard Masters said: “As this case shows we will take each report seriously and will do everything we can to identify and investigate offenders and pursue legal action, wherever in the world they may be.
“This outcome recognises the severity of the offence and we hope it will send a strong message of deterrence by demonstrating there are serious real-life consequences for those who engage in online abuse.”
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber said: “We welcome the verdict and thank the Premier League and their legal team for their support to both the club and Neal, as well as authorities in Singapore for recognising the severity of the offence.”
Earlier this season, the Seagulls gave one of their season-ticket holders a two-year ban for posting abuse on social media.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
