Man jailed after 'burn mosques' post during riots

Geraint Boyce made a number of posts on Facebook during the UK riots in August

A man who called for mosques to be burnt with worshippers inside during the summer riots in the UK has been jailed for two years.

Geraint Boyce, 43, of Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, made several posts on Facebook following the murder of three children at a Taylor Swift dance event in Southport.

He previously pleaded guilty to publishing written material intending to stir up religious hatred.

The judge at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court said the posts contained "threatening material" and were “encouraging activity that would threaten or endanger life".

Alex Orndal, prosecuting, said the posts showed "far-right rhetoric which were religiously and racially motivated".

Mr Orndal said the social unrest at the time was "important context".

An investigation began when the office of Rhondda Member of Senedd, Buffy Williams, contacted police after noticing the posts online in early August.

Boyce’s posts included a series of images and comments which were publicly available and included calls for mosques to be burnt with worshippers inside and boats to be sunk along with their occupants.

One post said "I’m ready for war" while another said it was "time to fight" and others prominently featured the union flag and were anti-Islamic.

Mr Orndal described them as "not mere idle comments but calls to action".

When he was arrested, Boyce asked if it was "because of the online stuff to do with the riots".

He later refused to comment when questioned by police.

Mr Orndal said the offences were aggravated by an "intention to incite serious violence" and the "national picture" of ongoing rioting.

Nick Gedge, defending Boyce, told the court his client was "ashamed of what he did" and he "held views that were as a result of what he saw online".

He said Boyce now recognised those views were wrong.

Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke said Boyce’s reference to war and burning down mosques "show an intention to incite serious violence" and that he was "encouraging activity that would threaten or endanger life" in what was a "particularly sensitive social climate".

The judge said the sentence had been reduced by a third because of his early guilty plea, but the only appropriate sentence was one of immediate custody.