Eric Bristow, 59, prompted angry responses from dozens of people on Twitter during a hugely insensitive series of posts on Monday.

Bristow, suggested the victims should have taken to physical violence later in their lives to get revenge on their abusers, while his use of offensive terminology provoked further outrage.

“Dart players tough guys footballers wimps,” he posted. “Bet the rugby boys are ok ha ha. U got to sought [sic] him out when u get older or dont look in the mirror glad i am a dart player proper men.

“Trouble is nowadays u cant tell the truth what do u feel out there tweet me. Everybody that works on tv is frightened to say the truth because they are frightened to lose their job, life shouldnt be like that.

“What i was saying was when the football lads got older and fitter they should have went back and sorted him out.

“U people replying don’t twist what i sent out, i tell the truth if u dont like it tough. No i am not i am saying they should have got their own back, the way i was brought up that’s what we done.”