Swift Justice

I was hugely impressed at the swift justice meted out to the student - Liam Stacey - who posted racially offensive comments on Twitter about the stricken Bolton footballer - Fabrice Muamba.

Liam (21) from Pontypridd in Wales finally admitted the charges - after trying to delete his Twitter account and saying initially that this had been hacked.

I imagine he must have been very surprised - shocked even - at being given a sentence of two months in jail.

To some that might seem harsh - because he didn't actually do anything - he incited racial hatred as opposed to carrying out his threats.

So what harm did he really do? - some might say - sticks and stones and all that.

But I think there is a big difference when it comes to racist behaviour - because allowing bigots to act out their prejudices and fantasies - online or anywhere else - is simply asking for trouble further down the line.

When these people are in greater numbers perhaps - when the odds are firmly stacked in their favour - when the opportunity presents itself.

And what I found most encouraging in the case of Liam Stacey is that the criminal justice system was not alone in acting - so too has Swansea University where Liam is a student - and the Treorchy Rugby Club where Liam is a member.

Swansea University has suspended Liam pending disciplinary proceedings - while Treorchy Rugby Club has condemned Liam's remarks and said it will initiate an investigation.

In other words the whole community has closed ranks against this young man's vile behaviour - which makes it very unlikely that he will ever behave in a similar way again - nor will copycats be encouraged or try to follow in his footsteps. 

I just wish that Scotland had the same approach to dealing with religious sectarianism - around football and elsewhere - because all this '90 minute bigot' nonsense is such a load of old baloney.

Turning a blind eye - or a deaf ear - to vile sectarian chants and behaviour at Scottish football games is just as bad people inciting racial hatred.

So I hope the authorities in Scotland are taking careful note of how the problem has been dealt with - nipped in the bud effectively - in Wales.