Twitter racist jailed

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17515992

racist remarks about that footballer.

I in no way condone what this guy said, it was insensitive and racists but did it deserve jail time? After all does he not have freedom of speech?

The lines seem to be blurring at the minute, I can understand the crack down if what someone says is likely to incite violence or cause injury to someone but do I think this idiots comments were likely to cause some race war? No, it's different say from ranting tram lady who on public transport was being racist to people.

Is it because twitter is a public medium or is it because it is 'published' and therefore bound by similar laws that newspapers and such are?

I'm assuming that he was convicted of a Public Order offence, which would be the public nature of Twitter. If he'd muttered it under his breath on the toilet he'd still be free (but still a racist).

As for 'the woman on the train' she was charged with the same offence.

http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/fact_sheets/racially_aggravated_offences/

Racially aggravated offences are offences where the offender shows or is driven by racial hostility.

* Public Order offences

o fear or provocation of violence (Section 4 of the Public Order Act 1986)

o intentional harassment, alarm or distress (Section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986)

o harassment, alarm or distress (Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986)

I read the story in the telegraph, the only comment that was quoted made no mention of race... I notice though that he plead guilty, rather than using a defence of there being no racism element to his comments...

The charge seemed to be "inciting racial hatred".

I read the story in the telegraph, the only comment that was quoted made no mention of race... I notice though that he plead guilty, rather than using a defence of there being no racism element to his comments...

 

The charge seemed to be "inciting racial hatred".

He was quite liberal with the n word

What did he say? And would it have been illegal in the USA where they have freedom of speech in their constitution unlike here?

What did he say? And would it have been illegal in the USA where they have freedom of speech in their constitution unlike here?

It went along the lines of

'LOL muamba's dead'

'he's a N word'

some people brought him up on it, he called them N words,

then he claimed his account was hacked

It went along the lines of

 

'LOL muamba's dead'

 

'he's a N word'

 

some people brought him up on it, he called them N words,

 

then he claimed his account was hacked

It also included a comment along the lines of "we shouldn't bother spending money on trying to save his life, chimps aren't worth anything."

What did he say? And would it have been illegal in the USA where they have freedom of speech in their constitution unlike here?

He'd have been inside within 24 hours if he tried that in the USA.

What difference is there between this case and that of Joshau Cryer, who got community service for sending racist tweets to Stan Collymore? (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-17462619)

What did he say? And would it have been illegal in the USA where they have freedom of speech in their constitution unlike here?

That would be the same constitution that allows this

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/02/court-westboro-baptist-gay-funeral-pickets