A 19-year-old man has denied sending a racially abusive message to England defender Jess Carter during the Women's Euro 2025 tournament, a court has heard.
Aaryan Aggarwal, of Dickens Rise in Chigwell, Essex, appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court where he entered a not guilty plea to a charge of sending a public communication that was offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing.
The charge relates to a message allegedly sent to Carter on Instagram on 17 July 2025, while the Chelsea defender was involved in England's quarter-final match at the tournament. According to prosecutor Grace Court, the message was sent following England's game against Sweden.
Outlining the case, prosecutor Grace Court told the court: "This was an incident on the 17 July 2025. The England footballer Jess Carter was currently playing in the Euro 2025 tournament. Following a game against Sweden, she received a message."
She added that the message read "well done, stupid ugly" before a racial slur was allegedly used, having also described the player as "ugly" in the communication.
Aggarwal was arrested in September as part of a police investigation into the alleged offence. He has now formally entered his plea of not guilty at the Essex court, setting the stage for the case to proceed to trial.
A trial date has been set for March, when the allegations against Aggarwal will be examined in full before the court reaches a verdict.
The incident occurred during a period when Carter was representing England at the highest level of women's international football, competing in one of the sport's most prestigious tournaments. England's run at the Women's Euro 2025 saw the team navigate through the knockout stages, with the quarter-final clash against Sweden marking a pivotal moment in their campaign.
Online abuse directed at footballers, particularly around major tournaments, has remained a persistent concern within the sport. Cases such as this one highlight the scrutiny and, at times, hostility that players can face on social media platforms even amid significant on-field achievements.
The Football Association and various footballing bodies have repeatedly called for stronger action against online abuse targeting players, with law enforcement agencies increasingly pursuing legal routes against those found to have sent offensive or threatening messages.
As the case moves toward trial, further details are expected to emerge regarding the nature of the alleged communication and the circumstances surrounding its sending. Aggarwal will have the opportunity to present his defence when proceedings resume in March.
The outcome of the trial will be closely watched, both for its implications regarding online conduct toward athletes and as part of the broader ongoing conversation about accountability for racist abuse directed at footballers, particularly within the women's game, which has seen increased visibility and scrutiny in recent years.
Carter has not publicly commented on the ongoing legal proceedings, and the case remains before the courts as it awaits its March trial date.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.