Anyone on Twitter, or off, following this case? Got an opinion?
Paul Chambers was living in Doncaster at the time of the bad snow, the airport was closed at the time and he joked (on twitter) that he would blow the airport sky high if it wasn't opened in time for him to go see his girlfriend in N. Ireland.
When the snow fell he tweeted to his 690 followers: "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your **** together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"
A week later he was arrested by five police officers, questioned for eight hours, had his computers and phones seized and was subsequently charged and convicted of causing a menace under the Communications Act 2003. The act states it is an offence to send "by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character".
Chambers, a trainee accountant, was found guilty by magistrates, handed a £1,000 fine and lost his job.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/feb/08/twitter-joke-case-court-appeal
Paul Chambers was living in Doncaster at the time of the bad snow, the airport was closed at the time and he joked (on twitter) that he would blow the airport sky high if it wasn't opened in time for him to go see his girlfriend in N. Ireland.
When the snow fell he tweeted to his 690 followers: "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your **** together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"
A week later he was arrested by five police officers, questioned for eight hours, had his computers and phones seized and was subsequently charged and convicted of causing a menace under the Communications Act 2003. The act states it is an offence to send "by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character".
Chambers, a trainee accountant, was found guilty by magistrates, handed a £1,000 fine and lost his job.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2012/feb/08/twitter-joke-case-court-appeal
