Maryport man jailed over racist online post

Billy Thomspon was jailed for 12 weeks

A man who wrote a Facebook post which included emojis of a person of ethnic minority and a gun has been jailed.

Carlisle Magistrates’ Court heard that Billy Thompson, 31, posted online in response to Cumbria Police announcing a dispersal order over potential planned disorder on Wednesday.

The court was told Thompson, of Maryport, did not know it was an offence to make the comments.

He admitted sending a message that was grossly offensive, or of indecent, obscene or menacing character by means of a public electronic communications network and was sentenced to 12 weeks in jail.

The court heard the father-of-one had nine previous convictions for 13 offences.

Kate Hunter, defending, said Thompson apologised and "certainly says he won’t be repeating this mistake again".

Of the criminal post and emojis, Ms Hunter said: "His version is that that comment relates to police, not to anything else."

'Racial element'

But district judge John Temperley said he did not accept the comments and emojis were directed at the police.

"This offence, I’m afraid, has to be viewed in the context of the current civil unrest up and down this country. And I’ve no doubt at all that your post is connected to that wider picture," Mr Temperley said.

"I’ve read in the case summary of the comments you made on arrest which clearly demonstrate to me that there was a racial element to the messaging and the posting of these emojis."

The men appeared at Carlisle Magistrates' Court on Thursday

It comes as another man is set to stand trial at the end of the month charged with posting offensive Facebook comments, allegedly encouraging violence against police ahead of planned disorder.

Giving a brief outline of the charges, prosecutor George Shelley said they related to two separate posts on Facebook, in the context of ongoing national disturbances throughout the country.

The 41-year-old defendant from Carlisle pleaded not guilty.

He was granted bail on condition he does not post anything on social media between now and his trial on 29 August at Carlisle Magistrates' Court.