A man who sent a racist message to a footballer has been hit with a four-year ban from all stadiums in the country. Connor Butler was handed the banning order after he sent an offensive message, containing racist language, to Luton Town star Elijah Adebayo on Instagram in 2024.

This incident occurred following the forward’s equalising goal in the 63rd minute at Kenilworth Road against Sunderland on October 23, which Butler watched from his home. The now 20-year-old was identified following investigations by Cheshire Constabulary and Northumbria Police. The joint operation resulted in him being identified through his social media accounts and publicly named by police today.

The Instagram handle led them back to Butler. Online searches quickly revealed other social media profiles under his name, linking him to the Sunderland area.

He was arrested in February 2025 at his Sunderland residence and later charged with one count of sending communication of an indecent or offensive nature. Butler pleaded guilty at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on December 10, 2025.

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He was fined £200 and ordered to pay court costs. He returned to the same court last week on February 2, where magistrates imposed a four-year football banning order on him.

The order bars Butler from attending any regulated matches in a professional or semi-professional league in England and Wales until February 1, 2030. Additionally, Butler is prohibited from travelling abroad to watch international friendlies, qualification matches and tournaments.

Chief Superintendent Mark Hall, football lead for Northumbria Police, commented after the case: “Racist and hateful speech has absolutely no place in our communities or online, and we know this kind of behaviour isn’t representative of the overwhelming majority of football fans.

“Fast-track enquiries with our colleagues at Cheshire Constabulary soon led us to identify Connor Butler as the sender of the messages, and he was later arrested and charged.

“We’d like to commend the victim in this case for coming forward to police, and I am grateful for the restrictions which are now stringently placed on Butler.

“I hope this reinforces our commitment to taking action against anybody who commits this type of crime – it will not be tolerated and we will do all we can to put perpetrators before the courts.

“I would like to thank everyone who played their part in this particular case, including our colleagues at Cheshire Constabulary and both football clubs.”

Cheshire Chief Constable Mark Roberts, national lead on policing, added: “Everyone is responsible for what they do and say, and posting a message on social media is no different. In this case, Butler sent a racist comment to Adebayo on Instagram, thinking that he would be able to hide behind his account name.

“His comments were totally abhorrent, and I welcome the sentence that has been handed to him. I also hope that it acts as a warning to other social media users, demonstrating that you will be held accountable for what you post.

“We have been clear that hate crime online or in person, is not acceptable and as we have shown in this case, you cannot hide behind a social media profile to post vile comments and spread hate.”

Luton Town revealed they had grown accustomed to “players and staff receiving abuse online in recent years”.

They wrote: “Sadly, many have become tired of reporting it, but Elijah has received some form of racial abuse in each of the five years he has been a Luton Town player and has always felt strongly enough to make statements to the police.

“This one thankfully has resulted in a prosecution and punishment that we hope acts as a deterrent to anyone thinking they can send abuse in a direct message, or on any form of social media, and get away with it.

“We stand with Elijah and all victims of discrimination, and will continue to fight for any of our Luton Town family who suffers at the fingertips of these keyboard criminals.”

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