GARDAÍ HAVE LAUNCHED an investigation after British footballer Ian Wright received a number of racist messages on social media platform Instagram. 

Wright tweeted images of the private messages he received from one Instagram account with slurs including “you are a monkey” and ‘If I see you I will put you on your deathbed”.

In other messages from the same account, Wright is called a “cotton picking black coin” and a “n****r”.

In a tweet, which was retweeted more than 16,000 times, earlier today, the former Arsenal and English striker wrote: “I know I’m not meant to look at them but these messages still hit me so hard man.

“This kid as (sic) a direct line into me & is able to send this without any worry.”

The Instagram account the messages came from showed a user who frequently gave his location as being in a southern Irish county and who appeared to be involved with a local GAA club.

A teenager later presented himself to gardaí for questioning in relation to the comments following a backlash on social media. 

A statement from gardaí this evening said: “An Garda Síochána is investigating an incident where abusive/racist comments have been re-posted on social media platforms.

“No formal complaint has been received by An Garda Síochána at this time, but in line with An Garda Síochána Diversity and Integration Strategy An Garda Síochána commenced an investigation into the comments.

“Subsequently a male adult teenager has presented voluntarily at a Garda Station and has been interviewed in relation to this matter. A file is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.” 

The individual’s accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are no longer available.