But putting on Facebook shows that the bloke has the mental capacity of a live yoghurt.

So? Nobody is trying to suggest he is even remotely intelligent, fortunately for him he is in a profession that doesn't require much mental capacity. Players have a right to privacy.

Yes. But social media is not private. It is publication.

cockaynes' comments to be investigated by humberside police as reported on radio humberside

whats the difference posting something racist on facebook or shouting it out on the street? none, racism is racism, now seen as a crime

But its not private once its on Facebook its out there in the public domain. We all know people who say things in private but wouldn't go and put in down on paper or posted on the internet

He got caught which is the problem for him

Do you have Facebook? As it was a comment to a friend, I'm fairly sure it wasn't meant for the wider public, even though it may have been visible to them. It would be different if he had posted it on Twitter, or even as a status update that was intended to be read by all, but the fact that he is being so vilified for a personal comment to a friend is a little weird and stalkerish IMO.

Not really, at the end of the day, if somebody in a professional environment posts a racist comment (which it was) in an area that the general public can see it, then there must be repercussions. Facebook has a private message system so if he really wanted it to remain private he could of done it via that, rather than spewing his degenerate trash in the public zone.

The fact that in the end the knuckle dragging moron had just lost his wallet in his home, not in the taxi he thought it was makes him look even more stupid. And racist offensive comments towards a member of the public who has done no harm to him whatsoever, who has provided him with a service is frankly unacceptable.

He allegedly posted racist comments on a social network, for all to see and racism is illegal. If he wanted to pass a comment to a friend why did he not just send a personal text, or even a private message via face-book.

No. If he had abused or discriminated against a taxi driver based on his race, that would be a crime. Making a throwaway comment to a friend can never be considered a crime.

I think you'll find that under The Race Relations Act (1976), the incitement if racial hatred is in fact a crime. This includes the distribution or mention of racially offensive material within a public domain. Exactly what Ben COCKayne has committed.

But he never did that, he allegedly wrote a racist comment in the public domain, that could be viewed as a racist crime... the clues in the word wrote.

I'm not defending Ben at all, He should know better.
IMHO the second word is the key here.
If he just calls him a P*** he may have gotten away with it as it COULD be taken as being discriptive just as using the term 'Pom' or 'Limey' is in discribing Brits.
The second word tagged along with it however automatically makes it obviously abusive.

You are reacting as if he had in some way abused the taxi driver, or posted a racist message singling out a specific driver. As far as I can see, he didn't even accuse the driver of any wrongdoing, just that he thought the wallet was in his car. Fair enough, not the smartest thing to do, but as I said RL players aren't employed for their intellect. I understand that Cockayne is not a popular player but this is hardly something worthy of such vitriol or 'police investigation'.

Get a grip.

As I'm sure the exact comment can't be posted due to legal reasons I'll give you a snippet. It inolved the P*** C*** taxi driver owing Ben £100 as he had his wallet.

So it was in fact a direct attack on a person who has done nothing wrong. He didn't steal the wallet or attempt to acquire the wallet in any way, Ben still had it himself.

Where would you draw the line? A crime is not committed until it is carried through an a person? So if somebody said to you, I'm going to rob your house tonight, would you want nothing to be done until your possessions had been taken? Terrorists can't be apprehended until they have blown something up? Potential murderers and rapists must be left to it until they commit a crime? People carrying weapons such as knives, bats and guns are okay until they use the weapon?

You need to get a grip, you're defending a racist.

Oh dear

This is one player I cannot stand,and it isn`t because he plays for Rovers.

sorry wrong thread

comment removed

What?

WTF are you talking about? Cockayne didn't threaten to commit any sort of crime. He didn't threaten the taxi driver in any way or make any mention of the taxi driver's name or identity. He didn't even falsely accuse him of stealing his wallet, not that this would be a crime either. As far as I can see, the comment appeared to be a light hearted one. Not that I am trying to defend this, it was stupid but it wasn't malicious in any way and as far as I can see the only reason you are persecuting Cockayne as a racist is because of his reputation in other areas, which IMO is just as bad as any 'racism' Cockayne has carried out here.

Not the first RL player to be caught out on the internet is he and he won't be the last. The trouble is as I keep stating the internet is far too public, too many people have access to it these days. BC has had problems in the past and he has paid for them, I hear these sort of comments every day and far worse.

If it was indeed him, fine him, donate it to a worthy charity and move on, it really is not worth getting hot under the collar about.

I've never previously had any problem with Cockayne at all, I didn't like him but I didn't dislike him, yes his assault in 2009 was stupid but who hasn't been in a fight at some point in their life.

I never said he threatened the taxi driver I was using them as examples of what would happen if people weren't allowed to be reprimanded for their words as well as their actions. The incitement of racial hatred (which includes racist comments) is a crime, however you want to dress it up. The police investigation will end up with a slap on the wrist and he may or may not lose his job.

The point I am making is you are not allowed to just go round making such comments as they are illegal. You can be arrested for just swearing as a breach of the public peace. The combination of both his words used makes this a problem. If he had just used the word P*** then he may of got away with it. As it is he called him a P*** C*** which makes it racially offensive.

eddie and stevo aint doing the hull derby,

It's abut time this moron was booted out of the game.

Total pond life.