A plumber from Wales sparked outrage and condemnation after posting inflammatory and hateful messages on Facebook following the tragic events in Southport. Geraint Boyce, 43, of Tonyrefail, shared messages including “F*** Islam” and “Burn all the mosques down with all the b******* inside”. These distasteful posts came after the alleged deaths of three girls in Southport and subsequent riots in various UK cities.
Boyce’s posts were described as inciting religious hatred and promoting violence. The Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard that an investigation was initiated following complaints about posts containing far-right rhetoric. Among the offensive content shared by Boyce was a call to “Send the b******* back” and a declaration of being “ready for war” alongside a picture of a lion and a union jack, with captions urging action to protect children’s future.
The prosecutor detailed more of Boyce’s disturbing online activities, including sharing an image of a figure in a Union Jack t-shirt chasing men in Islamic clothing, captioned with “F*** Islam”. He also posted about burning mosques down and made derogatory remarks about immigrants. Boyce was arrested on August 9 and subsequently admitted to publishing threatening material with the intent of stirring up religious hatred on social media.
During the sentencing hearing, the court learned about Boyce’s previous criminal record, which included convictions for various offences. His defence lawyer argued that Boyce now regrets his actions and was influenced by misinformation and online content at the time. Boyce’s health issues and family responsibilities were also mentioned in his defence.
The Recorder of Cardiff, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, highlighted the severity of Boyce’s actions in promoting violence during a sensitive social period. Boyce was sentenced to two years in prison, with the requirement to serve half the sentence in custody before being released on licence. This case serves as a reminder of the consequences of spreading hatred and inciting violence on social media platforms.
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