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MONTEL GIBSON - CARLTON TOWN VS STOURBRIDGE INCIDENT UPDATE
BY NIGEL GREGG   2 DAYS AGO

Club Secretary Clive Eades has provided the following update to both clubs for publication following an investigation by West Midlands Police."As most supporters are aware, following our FA Trophy tie away at Carlton Town on 13th November, sadly Montel was subjected to racial abuse through his own personal instagram profile. On becoming aware of this, both Carlton Town FC and Stourbridge FC joined forces immediately to do what we could, to identify the individual behind this despicable act. 

 Stourbridge FC reported the attack on Montel to West Midlands Police, who have a dedicated Hate Crime Officer, so as this could be correctly followed through as a criminal investigation. Stourbridge FC wish to place on record our thanks to West Midlands Police for taking this issue up on behalf of Montel and both Clubs. Investigations have been continuing since then, which has involved liaising with both Facebook and Instagram. West Midlands Police were successful in obtaining the IP Address that the Instagram Post was placed by, but this actually relates to a mobile phone in Turkey - it was not a post placed in the UK, including the potential use of a VPN, which has also been discounted. 

 Sadly, because the post was ‘placed’ in Turkey, British Police have no jurisdiction at all to follow this crime through to a prosecution, which would have been the case had the post been placed within the UK. It is suspected, but cannot be confirmed, that this may be linked to individual people gambling on football matches being played around the world. There is no further action that Stourbridge FC can take, which ultimately is extremely disappointing.

 Stourbridge FC Club Secretary Clive Eades would like to thank all Stourbridge FC and Carlton Town FC supporters for the joint actions taken immediately as soon as at we became aware of the abuse aimed at Montel, in a united show of disgust at the Instagram post. Clive also wishes to thank Trevor Wells, the Playing Squad, Management Team and the Board of Directors at Carlton Town FC for their support and understanding, whilst the investigation was ongoing. We also wish Carlton Town FC the best of luck for the remainder of this season, as the welcome we received on that day was fantastic, from everyone at the Club.

 Both Clubs wish to place on record their utter disgust as such posts, and will continue to work together, and within each club, to remove any form of discrimination from the game that we all love. We would also ask all supporters, of any Club, to do all we can together, to ‘Kick it Out’. "