The woman posted a racist message online while violence erupted across the country
Julie Sweeney has been jailed after leaving a racist comment online(Image: PA)
A 53-year-old woman has been jailed after admitting hate related communications. Julie Sweeney, of Church Lawton, Cheshire, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, 14 August.
Sweeney was sentenced to 15 months after pleading guilty to sending communications suggesting violence be carried out against the Muslim community, a breach of S181 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
On Monday 5 August, Cheshire Police received a complaint in relation to the hateful tone of a message which had been posted on a community Facebook group in the Kidsgrove area. Sweeney was subsequently identified from her online profile and arrested. She was later charged with the offence.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: “Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post abusive and threatening messages online.
“People may think that posting hateful messages on social media, instead of engaging in this sort of behaviour in person, offers them some sort of anonymity. But this could not be further from the truth.
“As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide. If you choose to engage in this behaviour, whether in person or online, we will find you and you will be held responsible.”
The woman posted a racist message online while violence erupted across the country
Julie Sweeney has been jailed after leaving a racist comment online(Image: PA)
A 53-year-old woman has been jailed after admitting hate related communications. Julie Sweeney, of Church Lawton, Cheshire, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, 14 August.
Sweeney was sentenced to 15 months after pleading guilty to sending communications suggesting violence be carried out against the Muslim community, a breach of S181 of the Online Safety Act 2023.
On Monday 5 August, Cheshire Police received a complaint in relation to the hateful tone of a message which had been posted on a community Facebook group in the Kidsgrove area. Sweeney was subsequently identified from her online profile and arrested. She was later charged with the offence.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police said: “Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post abusive and threatening messages online.
“People may think that posting hateful messages on social media, instead of engaging in this sort of behaviour in person, offers them some sort of anonymity. But this could not be further from the truth.
“As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide. If you choose to engage in this behaviour, whether in person or online, we will find you and you will be held responsible.”
