Mo Salah: Man admits posting racist tweets at Liverpool star Published duration 9 August 2019

image copyright Getty Images image caption The tweets about Mohamed Salah were reported to Merseyside Police

A man has admitted posting a series of offensive tweets in a "racist rant" aimed at Liverpool star Mohamed Salah.

Gary Hyland, 32, sent the racially abusive tweets about the Egyptian forward during an online discussion on Twitter at about 03:40 BST on Tuesday.

At Liverpool Magistrates' Court, he admitted racially/religiously aggravated intentional harassment.

Sophie Leyland, from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "These sorts of remarks fuel racial hatred."

Hyland, of Church Road in Waterloo, Merseyside, also admitted obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty and will be sentenced on 30 August.

The CPS said Hyland targeted the striker's Muslim faith and became increasingly abusive.

The tweets were reported to Merseyside Police who arrested him at his home.

When asked to hand over his phone Hyland claimed it was lost but officers found it under a cushion.

He also became obstructive while he was being taken into custody.

'Object of abuse'

Ms Leyland said Hyland admitted his guilt at an early stage and in comments to officers on arrest.

She added: "He admitted what he'd done was stupid. But these sorts of remarks are extremely offensive to people from the race or religion that they are aimed at.

"Mohamed Salah does not deserve to be the object of abuse, as does any person in a civilised society.

"The tweets were sent in the early hours of the morning and Hyland turned a genuine discussion into a racist rant."