Liam Stacey Barred From University Campus Over Racist Fabrice Muamba Tweets

Racist Muamba Tweeter Barred From University
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The student convicted for inciting racial hatred after posting offensive messages about black footballer Fabrice Muamba has been barred from his university.

Liam Stacey, who attends Swansea University has been told by the institution he will have to sit his final exams and graduate off-campus as an external candidate - a year after his fellow peers.

The 21-year-old student was jailed for 56 days after tweeting "LOL... F**k Muamba he's dead !!! #Haha" in the wake of the Bolton footballer collapsing on the pitch after suffering a heart attack.

On Tuesday, Stacey said he had paid a "huge price" for his outbursts, which he made after returning from a drunken night out.

"What I struggle to get my head around was the week or two before I was just a normal kid getting on with my work in university, getting on with life, playing rugby with all my mates, then a week or two later I was just going to prison, everything had been turned upside down," he told BBC Wales.

Swansea University issued a statement saying: "The student concerned remains suspended for the remainder of this academic year and is excluded from the campus."

The university said it had made the "exceptional decision" to allow Stacey to sit his final exams.

"He will be allowed to do so as an external candidate next year at another venue and, if successful, to graduate in absentia.

"He will remain excluded from the campus.

"We take the actions of this student very seriously, which is why he is no longer part of our campus community. We are mindful that he has been given a prison sentence, and therefore has already paid a price for his actions.

"He has expressed genuine remorse and we are satisfied that he understands that his behaviour was unacceptable, and damaging to the university."

The university added it was "not normal" to publicise such information but the decision to do so had been made with Stacey's agreement.