Social media firms contacted over Michael Oliver abuse as police launch investigation into sickening messages sent to Premier League referee after Myles Lewis-Skelly red card
Social media firms contacted over Michael Oliver abuse as police launch investigation into sickening messages sent to Premier League referee after Myles Lewis-Skelly red card
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The UK Football Policing Unit is leading the investigation into the abusive messages directed at Michael Oliver – and has already spoken to social media companies as it seeks to quickly trace those responsible. Oliver became the target of online trolls after his controversial decision to send off Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly on Saturday.
![[He and his young family are thought to have received death threats after he sent off Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly on Saturday]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/27/16/94566191-0-image-a-2_1737996429376.jpg)
Refs’ body PGMOL said it was ‘appalled’ by the ‘abhorrent attacks’, which are thought to have included threats against Oliver’s young family and claims that his address was known. They contacted the UKFPU who launched their own probe and have wasted little time in attempting to hunt the culprits down.
![[The PGMOL released this statement condemning threats that have been sent to Oliver]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/27/16/94537485-0-The_PGMOL_released_this_statement_condemning_threats_that_have_s-a-4_1737996542482.jpg)
Thanks to an improvement in relations with the likes of X and Facebook, officers can be supplied with information within a couple of days. Previously, police had faced lengthy delays in obtaining detail that scuppered any hopes of a prosecution given the six-month time limit allowed under the Malicious Communications Act.
However, as Mail Sport reported, officers visited England’s camp ahead of last summer’s Euros to inform players of the development, and let them know of the development and increased likelihood of offenders being apprehended. A spokesman for the UKFPU said: ‘Officers from the UKFPU have launched an investigation after a number of abusive messages were directed toward a referee following a Premier League match.‘.
