Law student, 20, ‘facing jail after aiming vile racial slur at Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka in audio message on social media’

A law student who aimed a vile racial slur at Arsenal star Bukayo Saka in an online rant is facing jail.

As reported by The Sun, 20-year-old Arsenal fan Suhel Ali uploaded an audio message directed at Saka on X.

In the message, Ali is heard calling Saka a ‘f***ing black piece of s**t’. 

Ali referred to Saka as ‘the s***test winger I’ve ever seen at my club.’ He used the N-word in reference to the England international and said: ‘You’re a monkey – you’re a f***ing monkey.’

Ali’s outburst came following Arsenal’s defeat away to Nottingham Forest on May 20, 2023, with the result confirming that Mikel Arteta‘s side missed out on the Premier League title as Manchester City were crowned champions.

Ali, from Wembley, studies at City University in London. He admitted sending an offensive message.

District Judge Briony Clarke bailed Ali until October 8 and said: ‘I’m not going to sentence you today — but I’m not ruling anything out.’

Ali’s mother helped police to track down his IP address. She also gave officers his e-mail address.

 20-year-old Arsenal fan Suhel Ali uploaded an audio message directed at Saka on X after Arsenal’s defeat to Nottingham Forest in May 2023

Westminster magistrates’ court heard that Ali said in a police interview that he sent the voice note out of frustration.

His lawyer Robert Moxon stated that Ali, like Saka, is of Nigerian heritage.

He said: ‘He used the N-word in that tweet but he’s using that not in a racial context but in an offensive context.’ 

The judge then asked about Ali’s use of the word ‘monkey’, to which Moxon replied that Aliused the word to ‘suggest that Bukayo Saka is dumb’.

He added: ‘He was just firing off some really stupid, offensive remarks about how a footballer played.’