The Wolves fan has been sentenced to imprisonment for racially abusing Ferdinand

A Wolverhampton Wanderers fan has been sentenced to six months in prison for racially abusing former Manchester United defender and England international Rio Ferdinand.

The incident occurred in May 2021 during a Premier League match between Wolves and Manchester United at the Molineux Stadium. 33-year-old Jamie Arnold made racially derogatory gestures towards Ferdinand, who was working as a TV pundit for the game. The entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras.

On December 8th, the Royal Court of Wolverhampton found the offender guilty of breaching public order on racial grounds and sentenced him to six months' imprisonment. It's noted that Arnold already had a suspended sentence for another offense at that time, which might have influenced the severity of the verdict.

The offender is expected to serve half of the term (three months) in custody and will then be released but placed under strict supervision by law enforcement for the following 12 months.

Additionally, the disgraced fan is banned from attending any football matches for seven years.

Rio Ferdinand is a legend of Manchester United and English football, having won numerous trophies in England and claiming victory in the UEFA Champions League during his time with the Red Devils.