Daft Post On Facebook - That's A Four Month Jail Sentence

[Gromit]

A nutter who posted a stupid message on Facebook after the Lee Rigby murder, has been jailed for four months.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2340190/Boxer-threatened-Muslims-insane-violence-posing-gun-day-murder-Lee-Rigby-jailed.html

Anyone agree this is a ridiculous conviction, and a waste of a valuable prison cell.

[modeller]

gromit //A nutter who posted a stupid message //

Is that all you call it 'stupid '.! W

[modeller]

gromit What would you have done with him . Slapped his wrist ?

[jno]

kromovaracun, what they've almost certainly got in the back of their minds is the role of social media in the rioting a couple of years ago. Would they have spread so fast without Twitter? Almost certainly not. (That's just a guess but it's the line the authorities are taking.)

Will the use of incitement laws prevent it happening again? I've no idea, but it must be worth a try, from their point of view.

It may involve failing to distinguish between Twitter and Facebook, but it's all part of a continuing debate about what exactly the law (and society in general) should do about social media; whether and how far they should be controlled.

[FredPuli43]

No. Some people are just too thick.

[ummmm]

Sad fact of life. There are many stupid people out there that look up to people like him.

[jake-the-peg]

I dont think a conviction was riddiculous but unless it was part of a wider pattern of intimidation I think a sentence for this alone was inappropriate

Community service would be much more appropriate - preferably in a strongly muslim area where he'd be forced to meet ang get to know real muslims who are not trying to take over the world

[naomi24]

We can legislate against actions but we can’t legislate against ideas, so I can’t help thinking that a four month jail sentence won’t change his mind. Long term community service would be a better idea - and cheaper.

[FredPuli43]

Jake, if he's in jail he'll meet plenty of Muslims, if some of the past posts on AB are to be believed !

[jno]

naomi, my guess is the sentence is intended to change others' minds rather than his. But it wasn't for having ideas, only for expressing them.

[Octavius]

"What won't be tolerated?"

As the judge says, the glorificaiton of guns and call to violence. Jordan Blackshaw requested a 'smash down' on facebook during the 'rioting season', nobody turned up but he got 4 years.

[naomi24]

jno, of course .... and ....?

[jno]

naomi, you said a jail sentence wouldn't change his mind. I said it wasn't intended to. The case is about social control rather than about an individual FB rant.

[naomi24]

jno, I know what you said. I read it.

[emmie]

if he can incite others to violence why isn't Anjem Choudary in jail. Is it the way it's worded, or that he knows how to play the law angle.

[bazwillrun]

" real muslims who are not trying to take over the world "

good luck with that...

as JNO says its all about social control, but scum like choudrey still walk the streets and milk us for every penny in benefits they can get !

[Svejk]

I'm not very comfortable with any of these 'thought crime' convictions. But leaving that to one side, what happened to empathy? There aren't many,other,geniuses working on site but we all feel sorry for the poor old scaffolders. ;)

[ichkeria]

I don't think it's ridiculous at all. It's incitement to serious violence.
Normally I agree that there are too many convictions for things posted on Facebook, Twitter etc. where the more sensible course of action would be deletion of the relevant item.
However this is different.

[anotheoldgit]

I agree that is a fitting sentence for this nutter, but was surprised that Gromit didn't agree with the sentence, and what is more he chose to use the condemned Daily Mail web site, what can possibly be going off?

Imagine the reaction if I had posted such a thread?

As regards Tony Perrin being at risk from Muslim prisoners, he had better look both ways because others are out to get him.

/// Perrin’s solicitor told the court that he ‘has had telephone calls from members of the EDL threatening him and telling him if he goes to prison he will be assaulted’. ///

I found the need to start this passage off with "The reasons for the EDL threats are unclear" all rather strange.

/// The reasons for the EDL threats are unclear but a page from the EDL news reads: ‘As much as we are saddened by yesterday’s news from Woolwich, we feel it is more important than ever to keep tabs on extremists on the far right. ///

Nothing 'unclear' at all, can't they also be given the right to condemn such actions as this?

[Gromit]

This man is clearly of low intelligence. If he did have the access to explosives then a criminal with any nounce is hardly going to advertise it on Facebook. His collar should have been felt and a stern warning that his activities had been noted by the authorities. A cation at worse would have been sufficient.

Will this deter stupid people writing unthoughtout crap on FB and Twitter in future? I doubt it.
Will it be used as ammunition by the authorities to control the internet in future? Certainly.

[FredPuli43]

If Choudery publishes anything which is an incitement to murder or any other crime he will be prosecuted, but he's too intelligent or well-informed to do that.