Jolene Bunting loses appeal over drag queen video post

Jolene Bunting, pictured in 2019, is a former independent unionist councillor for Belfast City Council

A former Belfast councillor who compared a drag queen to a wolf in make-up has lost her appeal against being fined for breaking a court order.

Jolene Bunting had previously been barred from harassing actor Matthew Cavan, known as Cherrie Ontop.

She was fined £750 in June after failing to take down a social media video immediately.

Ms Bunting claimed the financial penalty imposed after violating the court order was "disproportionate".

However, on Friday, judges at Belfast's Court of Appeal ruled the sentence was appropriate and necessary to send out a wider message.

"The appellant has been guilty of a deliberate and flagrant breach of a court order," Madam Justice McBride said.

Ms Bunting has already been barred from any further harassment of the performer for the next five years.

Cherrie Ontop, the drag queen persona of Matthew Cavan, pictured in 2019, was targeted after a children's storytelling event

In July 2022, Ms Bunting, a former independent unionist councillor, was involved in protests outside the Mac theatre in Belfast.

Mr Cavan, in his role as Cherrie Ontop, was taking part in a children's story-time event.

A group calling themselves Parents Against Grooming held banners which read "hands off our children".

Online threats

A video featuring an image of a wolf and a photograph of Mr Cavan later appeared on YouTube, which was viewed 22,000 times.

Previously, Mr Cavan said the posting was a twisted portrayal of his work, which left him horrified at being likened to the creature in make-up from the children's fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood.

He later received threats from so-called paedophile hunters because of the YouTube video.

A group from east Belfast messaged Mr Cavan warning him they knew where he lived and were watching him. Others told him to take his own life.

• Ex-councillor fined £750 for drag queen video post

• Ex-councillor banned from harassing drag queen

Mr Cavan previously said the attention led to him losing three well-paid gigs.

He also said he was put on anti-anxiety medication and installed security cameras and lights at his home.

Ms Bunting, who sat on Belfast City Council, denied specifically targeting Mr Cavan and claimed she was only concerned about safeguarding children.

Last August, the drag queen obtained an interim court order requiring her to take down social media posts on YouTube and Twitter without delay.

'No flaws' in sentence

However, contempt of court proceedings were then brought against Ms Bunting for failing to comply until the day of the hearing.

In June, she was handed a £750 fine and was given 26 weeks to pay.

Matthew Cavan, pictured in 2017 as part of the Visage exhibition, had to install security cameras and lights after threats

However, Ms Bunting appealed the sentence, claiming it was wrong in law and that it failed to account for the eventual purging of her contempt.

Her barrister said instead of a financial penalty, a remedial outcome of keeping the peace would have been proper.

Rejecting the argument, Justice McBride said there were no flaws in the sentence based on the case's public nature.

She also highlighted Ms Bunting's failure to remove the video from her social media accounts until the day of the hearing.

"We are satisfied the sentence imposed was not wrong in principle or on the facts, and accordingly dismiss the appeal," she added.