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Northampton Town racist tweeter Ben Townsend ordered to pay players £500 Northampton Town racist tweeter Ben Townsend ordered to pay players £500
(35 minutes later)
A man who admitted sending racist tweets to two Northampton Town footballers has been ordered to pay £500 compensation to them.A man who admitted sending racist tweets to two Northampton Town footballers has been ordered to pay £500 compensation to them.
Ben Townsend, 25, admitted two charges of sending an offensive message by a public communications network.Ben Townsend, 25, admitted two charges of sending an offensive message by a public communications network.
Cheltenham Magistrates' Court heard Townsend targeted players Adebayo Akinfenwa and Clarke Carlisle on Twitter on 7 and 8 May.Cheltenham Magistrates' Court heard Townsend targeted players Adebayo Akinfenwa and Clarke Carlisle on Twitter on 7 and 8 May.
The labourer had 106 followers on Twitter at the time of the offence.The labourer had 106 followers on Twitter at the time of the offence.
'Disgusted and embarrassed'
The court was told the tweets were "highly offensive and racist".
In the tweet to Mr Akinfenwa, Townsend used the hash tag "monkey boy".
His solicitor told the court his client was "disgusted and embarrassed" by his actions and that he was "keen to repair the damage that he's done".
District judge Martin Brown ordered Townsend to pay each player £500 compensation for the messages, which he said were "equally disgusting and racist".
He was also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid community work.
Townsend, of Cheltenham, was arrested on 8 May in a joint operation between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire Police.Townsend, of Cheltenham, was arrested on 8 May in a joint operation between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire Police.