Man from Liverpool jailed and handed Football Banning Order for posting racist abuse online

A football supporter has been jailed for 15 weeks after posting racist abuse online.

Shaun Tuck, 37, from Liverpool, was found guilty of malicious communications and sentenced today, Thursday 29 February, at South Sefton Magistrates Court.

Tuck posted racist abuse about a fellow Everton supporter in the comments section of the club’s official Facebook page in August 2023.

Following an investigation, Tuck was arrested and charged with malicious communications.

As well as a prison sentence, Tuck has also been told he must pay a £155 victim surcharge and handed a six-year Football Banning Order.

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Nuttall said: “Tuck clearly thought that he could post disgusting racist comments online and it wouldn’t be investigated by the police.

“Sadly for him, this is not the case. We take all forms of racism extremely seriously and Merseyside Police has investigated and successfully prosecuted so-called fans for racial abuse both inside and outside of football stadiums.

“Tuck’s views and his abuse is not welcome here in Merseyside, and they do not represent the overwhelming majority of football fans.

“Merseyside is an inclusive and welcoming place and, whatever football team you support, we stand united in saying that there is absolutely no place for hate anywhere on Merseyside. 

“This court result means that Tuck will now have a criminal record, and the consequences of this for his future could prove to be significant. 

“I’d like to thank Everton FC for their support during our investigation.”

Tuck will not be able to attend Everton matches home or away or any other football fixtures for six years.

Dave Lewis, Head of Security and Stadium Safety Officer at Everton said: “We have a clear and well-publicised zero-tolerance policy on all forms of discrimination. The Club will not hesitate to act and deal with any reported instances of hate crime or anti-social behaviour.

“I’m pleased we were able to support Merseyside Police with their investigation. This conviction is a clear statement any such behaviour has no place in our society.

“Our award-winning ‘All Together Now’ campaign reaffirms these sentiments and unifies Everton and Everton in the Community’s collaborative work regarding equality and diversity to ensure all fans – visiting Goodison Park, any of our community facilities or social media pages – feel safe and welcome at all times.”

Anyone with information on hate crime is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’. You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.

If, for any reason, you do not wish to report a hate crime to the police, the independent charity Stop Hate UK to run a 24/7 confidential helpline for all victims of hate crime on 0800 138 1625 or www.stophateuk.org. You can also download the Stop Hate UK reporting app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.

Across Merseyside, we also have a number of third party reporting centres including fire stations, citizens advice bureaus and hospitals. A list of locations can be viewed here: merseyside-third-party-hate-crime-reporting-centres.pdf

You can report an incident of discrimination in football - whether it took place online or at a grassroots, non-league or professional game – by downloading the Kick It Out app. You can also report any incidents via their online form here: https://www.kickitout.org/forms/online-reporting-form.