Man jailed in Fabrice Muamba case

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SWANSEA, Wales -- The student who mocked Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba on Twitter after the player collapsed on the field during a match has been jailed for inciting racial hatred.

Liam Stacey, a 21-year-old student at Swansea University, admitted to the charge last week and was jailed Tuesday for 56 days.

Muamba's heart stopped beating on its own for 78 minutes after he collapsed during an FA Cup quarterfinal match against Tottenham March 17. He remains hospitalized in intensive care.

Shortly after Muamba collapsed, Stacey tweeted: "LOL, **** Muamba. He's dead."

After a number of people responded by admonishing Stacey for his post, he responded with a series of racist and degrading tweets.

According to British media reports, Twitter users, including former England player Stan Collymore, reported Stacey's tweets to police, who investigated and arrested the biology major.

"We hope this case will serve as a warning to anyone who may think that comments made online are somehow beyond the law," chief prosecutor Jim Brisbane said.

Stacey tried to delete his Twitter page, and claimed that someone had hacked into his account. He also said he had been drunk while tweeting during the Bolton-Tottenham game.

Swansea students have launched a campaign to have Stacey kicked out of the university.

"The student remains suspended from the university pending the conclusion of our disciplinary proceedings," a university spokesman said.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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