Man Jailed for 3 months over Facebook Jokes

[jhoroz]

I think it is good...

It serves as a deterrent for other people who think that mediums like the internet can be used to cause others hurt and misfortune...

I don't mind trolling... but I do mind when the comments are seriously aimed to hurt other people when they are already upset... hell... aimed to hurt anybody is horrible!

It is inconsiderate and generally horrible... so I am glad someone has been made an example of...

Also... Private page? This is the internet... there is no such thing!

Tasteless or not, it was his facebook page and prosecuting him for what he wrote is violating his right for freedom of speech. No matter what he wrote, the police has no right to arrest him, and the fact that he was arrested for this by the British authorities is just as disgusting as the things he wrote about the missing girl.

 

[jhoroz]

Man how awkward is this gonne be in the Jail courtyard. "So, what're you in for? Rape eh? What about you? Murdering Oprhans? Geez dude what the fuck.. oh hey what about you? Telling a joke on Facebook? HA! I guess we found our shower *****."

This comment made my day. You sir, are full of win.

 

[GameChanger]

This.

Is.

Bull.

SHIT.


Who's to determine what is tasteless and what is not? I get that you're on the internet and that the same rules of courtesy and taste apply, but NO-ONE should get jailtime for that! This is an outright VIOLATION of fundamental rights!

 

[BenTheWolf]

To get this you have to understand 'the national mood' in the UK right now. At the time he posted this there was a sense of shock that this had happened and a massive coming together of people in the Welsh town April disappeared in (I'm not even going to try and spell it!).

Then this arsehole posted many 'jokes' including his desire to rape this missing 5 year old with cerebal palsy whilst Madeline Mcann watched. And it wasn't one joke. It was constant.

Freedom of speech means that he can write what he wants. It does not mean that he does not have to face the consequences. It can be said all you want that what is offensive or not is in the eye of the beholder, but if this wasn't offensive I'm not entirely sure what was.

He was originally arrested at least partly in order to stop him being lynched by a pretty repulsed public. he then lied to police about whether or not he posted the 'jokes'. That probably didn't help his case.

Few people seem to have qualms about arresting extremist Muslim preachers for calling for the downthrow of 'the decadent west' and yet people view the arrest of a prat talking about raping a 5 year old on the internet as a bit OTT. 3 months in prison for being that sick in the head is probably just about right.

 

[Nouw]

serious question (primarily aimed at the last two posters): why has none of "the mob" been arrested ?

and don't say "because there isn't a law against that." because there are bloody loads.

I'm thinking the same thing. Do they get a free pass for being offended?

 

[BenTheWolf]

None of the mob got arrested because they didn't actually do anything. In Britain we have a loose definition of 'mob'. they knocked on his door and called the police. I also don't think all 50 were at his house at the same time. Had they broken in or something they would have been arrested

 

[IndieForever]

Update: The UK Justice system appears to agree with the 'you can be offensive as much as you like as long it's not harrassment' brigade.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-19910865

Mr Starmer said the new guidelines would enable relevant authorities to use remedies other than criminal prosecution to address instances of offensive activity.

"The threshold for prosecution has to be high," he added.

"We live in a democracy, and if free speech is to be protected there has to be a high threshold.

"People have the right to be offensive, they have the right to be insulting, and that has to be protected."

We obviously all have our own opinions on this but I think we can put to bed some of the more ludicrous claims from some posters here that the UK has descended to the human-rights hell of Saudi Arabia, runs some kind of 'taste-Gestapo' and is morally as bankrupt as Syria. I don't think the UK has ever really had the same cultural outlook as the USA on this issue, but it's been interesting