4 years jail over facebook post

B

Betsy Og

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For attempting (unsuccessfully) to incite a riot on facebook. Seems a bit extreme. I gather it was an event created on facebook. They seem like 2 ordinary joe's (not gang members) so wouldnt you think their 'authority' or credibility in organising such an event would be taken into account.

I'm sure not everyone who threatens to kill someone is convicted (if they were most of us would have been hauled off a sportsfield into a paddywagon at some stage!), so I dont know if this is a sensible development.

Now if they texted 20 gang members I could see the point.
 
They will all be lowered on appeal, but it might deter some scumbags from doing it in the future.

But then again ........
 
Delighted for both of them. Well deserved even if the sentences are reduced on appeal. I doubt they'll do that again the scumbags.
 
Ancutza said:
Delighted for both of them. Well deserved even if the sentences are reduced on appeal. I doubt they'll do that again the scumbags.
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Do what? Write something on facebook? So we are going to jail everyone from now on who suggests a riot or any illegal act on the Internet even if it doesn't happen? People have got less for rape.
 
The sentence is designed to discourage all the other cretins out there.
 
When did a tough sentence ever discourage criminals. People in some States in the US still murder people even knowing that they face the death penalty. It doesn't send any message apart that from the fact that the courts are being caught up in the general mood. If 4 years for putting up a page on facebook is the benchmark, I look forward to seeing multiples for the people who actually looted and rioted. Think the UK is going to need plenty of new prisons.

These idiots could not even organise a riot properly.
 
Sunny said:
Do what? Write something on facebook? So we are going to jail everyone from now on who suggests a riot or any illegal act on the Internet even if it doesn't happen? People have got less for rape.
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People seem to focus in on the fact that the riot was unsuccessful.

In my book that is neither here nor there.

Whether peopel reacted to this request is irrelevant. The crime was attempting to incite a riot. It was only good fortune it didn't occur - not down to any goodwill of these 2 guys.
Anything could have happend had that been successful.

I saw teh guy on sky news last night in teh press review setion at 11.30 suggesting they instead shoudl get therapy. What nonsense !

You know what - next time a riot is on people will be a lot less likely to incite further riots on facebook.

However - i read this morning that someone else got 6 months for stealing a bottle of water for £3.50.
Now that is OTT.
 
Sunny said:
If 4 years for putting up a page on facebook is the benchmark, I look forward to seeing multiples for the people who actually looted and rioted.
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To me, someone who orchestrates the looting is a far bigger criminal than the looters themselves.
 
zxcvbnm said:
To me, someone who orchestrates the looting is a far bigger criminal than the looters themselves.
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Yes, because these two idiots were criminal masterminds. :rolleyes:

So people think it is ok to jail someone for 4 years for suggesting a criminal activity on the internet that then doesn't even happen?

The internet police are going to be busy people.
 
Someone on AAM have suggested that 21 yacht racers should have been let drown rather than go through the expense of rescuing them, others have said that rioters should be shot, I'm guessing that those posters should sanctioned by the law in the same way?, are they not inciting hatred of the rich in one case and promoting violence in another?
4 years in anyones book for a facebook page is plain stupid.
 
Sunny said:
Yes, because these two idiots were criminal masterminds. :rolleyes:
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To me thats the key point. Were they even serious?, were they in any position to orchestrate the vioence? Surely in the 'directing terrorism' legislation there must be a provision to say that due to past record or current role in an organisation that their activities have the capacity to direct crime or terrorism - and absent that, a charge cannot be sustained. Otherwise every throwaway remark on the internet could have people in jail (as mentioned re the guys on the yacht).

Whatever about Warrington (close to Liverpool where there was some trouble), I dont think there was ever a realistic prospect of a riot in the other Cheshire town (Nantwich or something like that - rural Cheshire being one of the more affluent parts of the country).
 
Those in Ireland claiming that four years is a fair punishment for these dumb guys for "inciting" a riot should immediately start campaigning for proper sentencing over here where murderers are free within 10-12 years.
 
Doesnt matter that it is on Facebook. If someone incites a riot they should be prosecuted - shouldnt matter whether they are doing it in person in the street or doing it on the internet. Using the internet does not pardon the crime.
 
csirl said:
Doesnt matter that it is on Facebook. If someone incites a riot they should be prosecuted - shouldnt matter whether they are doing it in person in the street or doing it on the internet. Using the internet does not pardon the crime.
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So if I post something on facebook or suggest to 20 friends in the pub that we should have a riot but do nothing, I should get 4 years in jail.

Everyone who suggests a crime on the internet or in person should be jailed?

Anyone who possibly incites hatred through racism, bigotry etc should be jailed?

Anyone who says or writes anything that could possibly incite any sort of violence from nutters should be jailed?

What an interesting world we are moving towards.
 
The court had all the facts on this case. The public are judging it based on a single fact. Thus the public's judgement is without any merit. You need all the facts before you can come to a conclusion. Until we know all the facts, then speculating like this is just nonsense.
 
shnaek said:
The court had all the facts on this case. The public are judging it based on a single fact. Thus the public's judgement is without any merit. You need all the facts before you can come to a conclusion. Until we know all the facts, then speculating like this is just nonsense.
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Well, we do know that courts have been instructed to put the boot in, and several barristers have already said some of these sentences will be overturned on appeal. So it's not quite so simple.I'm not sure (apart from the brief satisfaction obtained, and which shouldn't be discounted!) that these sentences serve any useful purpose. It's also striking to note the difference in treatment when it comes to the yobs who wreck havoc on the streets, and the toffs who wreck havoc in the City.
 
Sunny said:
So if I post something on facebook or suggest to 20 friends in the pub that we should have a riot but do nothing, I should get 4 years in jail.

Everyone who suggests a crime on the internet or in person should be jailed?

Anyone who possibly incites hatred through racism, bigotry etc should be jailed?

Anyone who says or writes anything that could possibly incite any sort of violence from nutters should be jailed?

What an interesting world we are moving towards.
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Interesting one in the context of the Danish cartoons.
 
hastalavista said:
Interesting one in the context of the Danish cartoons.
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The cartoons aren't comparable to incitement to riot or organise a riot. Some people chose to take offence at what they concieved as a slur on their religion. No civil law was broken. There were an expression of press freedom, a freedom frowned upon in certain quarters, and they were deliberately exploited for political reasons so that muslims would be offended, and react accordingly.
 
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