A football fan who racially abused one of his team’s players on social media has been jailed.

Simon Silwood, a West Bromwich Albion supporter, tried to blame autocorrect for saying midfielder Romaine Sawyers should win the ‘Baboon d’Or’.

He posted the message on a Facebook group after the team’s 5-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Hawthorns in January.

The player said he was left feeling ‘harassed, alarmed and distressed’ after reading it.

Silwood, 50, has now been jailed for eight weeks at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court. He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the player and £500 in prosecution costs.

Passing sentence, District Judge Briony Clarke said: ‘This is, Mr Silwood, a serious offence. There is no place for racism or racist abuse online. This clearly, in my view, crosses the custody threshold.

‘I assess the remorse you have for your actions as very minimal indeed.’

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