Nasty tweets to British diver Tom Daley lead to arrest
The Associated Press
Posted: Jul 31, 2012 6:48 AM ET
Last Updated: Jul 31, 2012 10:18 AM ET
British diver Tom Daley, front, was on the receiving end of some offensive tweets after he and fellow diver Pete Waterfield finished out of the medals in the 10-metre men's synchronized platform final. Now, police have arrrested a 17-year-old on "suspicion of malicious communications." (Michael Sohn/Associated Press)
A teenager has been arrested on suspicion of posting malicious Twitter messages directed at British Olympic diver Tom Daley, U.K. police said Tuesday.
Daley's father died of brain cancer a year ago and the 18-year-old Olympian had hoped to win a medal "for myself and my dad." But he finished fourth on Monday, out of medal contention, in the 10-metre synchronized platform competition with teammate Pete Waterfield.
Afterward, Daley tweeted a message complaining about some of the tweets sent to him by "idiots."
He cited one tweet that read: "You let your dad down i hope you know that."
He said the nasty tweet about his father came in after he had been "giving it my all" in the bid for a medal.
Dorset police said early Tuesday that a 17-year-old man was arrested "on suspicion of malicious communications" in relation to Twitter threats made against Daley.
Police said the man was detained at a bed and breakfast in the southwestern coastal town of Weymouth in the early hours of the morning, and is currently helping police with their inquiries.
The man who made the tweet also apologized in subsequent tweets for any offence he had caused Daley.
In Britain, tweeting messages considered menacing, offensive or indecent can lead to prosecution.
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