British man jailed for posting offensive comments on Facebook about missing child

[cali]

A Lancashire man who posted offensive comments on Facebook about missing five-year-old April Jones has been jailed for 12 weeks.

Matthew Woods, 20, made a number of derogatory posts about April and missing Madeline McCann.

He appeared at Chorley Magistrates' Court where he admitted sending a grossly offensive public electronic communication.

Woods, of Eaves Lane, Chorley, was handed the maximum sentence.

Chairman of the bench, magistrate Bill Hudson, said his comments were so serious and "abhorrent" that he deserved the longest sentence they could pass, less a third to give credit for his early guilty plea.


<snip>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-19869710

[Whovian]

1. Good for them. Jerks like that ought to be given reason to think before spewing hate

that offends victims and the general populace. Free speech is one thing, hate speech is another.

[cali]

3. granted, I don't know what he posted and I'm assuming it was vile

I don't know if it constituted hate speech.

All I can say is I'm glad we don't have laws like that.

[Whovian]

5. He was jailed for 12 weeks only.

He probably caused more pain to the family than he would have if he walked in a punched the father in the face.

I really understand your opinion here and am twisting in the wind as to the true morality of punishing those who broadcast hate speech in a public forum. Like the DJ in Rwanda that sparked a genocide?

[cali]

6. 12 weeks for posting offensive comments on Facebook?

yes, I understand he's an asshole and they he caused pain to the family, but it's flat wrong to compare this to what happened in Rwanda. There is simply NO comparison. How do you know this was hate speech? The definition of hate speech is specific.

And "only 12 weeks" Ack.

Well, that's England and they have no 1st Amendment or equivalent. We do. Thankfully.

[WinkyDink]

8. "Like the DJ in Rwanda that sparked a genocide?" Hardly. Anyway, take it up with the Constitution.

[msongs]

7. that court could now view your post as a jerk spewing hate and imprison you. happy now? nt

[Arugula Latte]

9. The problem is in drawing those distinctions, and who gets to decide.

[Grave Grumbler]

11. I despise hate speech laws.

I'm very glad to live in a country where free speech is guaranteed in the Constitution.

[snooper2]

2. Wonder how long a Brit would get for calling the queen some bad names

[Nye Bevan]

4. Not that great a leap from this to

putting someone in prison for saying vile things about the Prime Minister.

[Tsiyu]

10. He was "arrested for his own safety"

according to the article:

"Woods, who is unemployed, was arrested for his own safety on Saturday night and remanded in custody ahead of his appearance in court.

Chorley magistrates heard members of the public were so upset about his posts they reported them to the police.

About 50 people went to his home. He was arrested at a separate address."


Perhaps they meant he was held until sentencing for his own safety. But sounds like the 12 weeks in jail may save him a serious ass-whooping.

Not commenting on the free speech aspect - just that the sentence may protect Woods from physical harm.

[Poll_Blind]

12. Oh, this guy is even more of a piece of work than it seems. More in this article:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2214652/Unemployed-teenager-facing-prison-posting-vile-Facebook-jokes-missing-April-Jones.html

Nasty, nasty fellow.

PB