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UK riots: ‘Bigot’ jailed for Facebook racial hatred posts

UK riots: ‘Bigot’ jailed for Facebook racial hatred posts

A plasterer who admitted to stirring up racial hatred on Facebook has been sentenced to 21 months in prison.

Daniel Kingsley, 33, from Shotton in Flintshire, posted racist messages on social media on 8 and 10 August, as part of the disorder in England and Northern Ireland.

Kingsley is a “bigot” who holds “deeply offensive and racist views”, judge Rhys Rowlands said during sentencing at Mold Crown Court.

He added that he hoped this case would “stand as an example to any others thinking of inciting hatred”.

Prosecutor David Mainstone shared two posts with the court that Kingsley made on Facebook which had come to the attention of North Wales Police.

The first included derogatory language about immigrants and said that anyone not supporting the riots “shouldn’t be allowed to live in the United Kingdom”.

The post also said “deflate the boats”.

Mr Mainstone said the second post “appeared to identify certain areas where there are several properties lived in by ethnic minorities, including a property housing immigrants”.

He added that the timing of Kingsley’s posts suggested he “must have been looking to incite violence”.

Mr Mainstone said that upon being arrested, Kingsley claimed his intention with the second post was “to stop the riots being close to his home”.

Judge Rowlands called this “nonsense”, and said Kinglsey appeared to be “unhappy there haven’t been any significant riots in Wales and he wants some nearer to home”.

Alexandra Carrier, defending, told the court that Kingsley was “truly sorry” and had “admitted to the offence as soon as the police arrived at his door”.

“Although Mr Kingsley shared these messages on Facebook, it was only visible to his friends and not the wider public,” she added.

In response Judge Rowlands said: “You only post something on social media if you want it to be seen.”

Judge Rowlands said Kingsley had “a history of offending” and that he “could not ignore the timing of these posts”.