Rugby fan apologises for homophobic tweet
A Welsh rugby fan has apologised for a homophobic tweet sent to out referee Nigel Owens in a face-to-face meeting.
Edryd James sent the tweet which used a homophobic slur following the Six Nations England V France game last weekend. Mr Owens reported the tweet to the police, who arranged the meeting as part of an Adult Community Resolution.
Inspector Stuart Bell of Dyfed Powys Police said in a statement: “I am satisfied that this matter has been effectively resolved by Dyfed Powys Police with an outcome that was satisfactory for both parties. The person responsible realises his mistake and I’m sure he will have learned from this experience.
“Dyfed Powys Police will not tolerate discrimination of any kind and the public need to realise that if offensive comments are made on social media, they are not above the law and we will investigate the matter as we would any other.”
Mr Owens was the subject of homophobic abuse at Twickenham in November – the offenders were swiftly banned and fined – and this weekend marked his first return to the home of England Rugby since the incident. He spoke out before the match about his hopes there would not be similar issues, and to encourage rugby fans to condemn homophobic abuse.
He was widely praised for his refereeing of the England v France match, and is a highly respected figure in the rugby community.
Mr Owens thanked fans for their support on twitter.
Thanks all for ur support. The winner this weekend was rugby its players & genuine supporters https://t.co/bgYUpnJuHx pic.twitter.com/xdfsKnWwhf
— Nigel Owens (@Nigelrefowens) March 22, 2015
