Mikaeel Kular: Warren Butler sentenced for offensive Facebook posts.

By
March 12, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Suspended sentence

A soldier has been called a “disgrace” for posting offensive Facebook messages over the death of a three-year-old boy.

Warren Butler, 19, from Carlisle, was handed a 16-week sentence, suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 250 hours community service.

Mikaeel Kular was found dead in Fife in January, after he was reported missing.

Grenadier Guard Butler, who is based at Aldershot barracks, Hampshire, admitted improper use of a communications network at an earlier hearing.

Basingstoke Magistrates heard Butler had been brought up in a “racist” family background.

‘Great disgrace’

He had been to several English Defence League (EDL) marches and had “liked” EDL and British National Party (BNP) pages on Facebook.

Within five minutes of him sending the message about Mikaeel Kular, it went viral.

Warren Butler received death threats after posting the offensive message

Warren Butler received death threats after posting the offensive message

Butler and several relatives received death threats.

District judge Phillip Gillibrand said: “People were appalled at seeing this sort of prejudice.

“It was cruel, disrespectful, and completely unjustified. You have much growing up to do.

“To post this Facebook entry with you standing there in full ceremonial uniform was a great disgrace, and brought the army into disrepute.”

Butler’s commanding officer, Capt James Stafford Allen told the court prior to the incident he had a “clean slate” in the army and was following a promising career.

Since his arrest, Butler has been kept “in camp” and not allowed to leave the army barracks for eight weeks.

He has had his mobile phone taken away and internet access withdrawn.

Capt Allen said the army was still to decide what disciplinary action to take.

Butler must also pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Mikaeel Kular’s mother Rosdeep Kular, 33, has been charged with his murder.

BBC News

Football hooligan barred from matches for five years

By
March 2, 2014
assault, EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Suspended sentence

FOOTBALL hooligan Jeff Marsh has been banned from football grounds for five years after admitting affray.

The 44-year-old Cardiff City supporter was found in possession of a knuckleduster when he was arrested for affray outside the Ninian Park pub in Canton, Cardiff, last June.

The self-proclaimed hooligan, who has written two books about his exploits with the city’s infamous Soul Crew and is one of the organisers of the Welsh Defence League, was fighting with Celtic fans after the inaugural match between the teams at Cardiff’s new stadium.

Marsh, from Barry, admitted affray and possession of an offensive weapon at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court in January and was sentenced yesterday.

He was given a four-month suspended jail term, 150 hours’ community service and ordered to pay £600 costs.

He was given a full five-year football banning order that will prevent him attending any football matches for five years.

Detective Constable Simon Chivers, of the Football Intelligence Unit, who arrested Marsh last summer, said: “Jeff Marsh is a convicted football hooligan.

“Behaviour such as he exhibited on the night will not be tolerated by Cardiff City or the police and anyone indulging in that sort of behaviour will be pursued to the fullest extent of the law, prosecuted and banned.”

It is Marsh’s first football banning order as his previous convictions for football violence came before the 1990 Football Disorder Act which introduced the banning orders.

In 1989 he was convicted of grievous bodily harm for stabbing two Manchester United supporters in Cardiff and was jailed for two years. In 1986 he was also convicted of a football-related assault in Halifax.

Marsh is an organiser of the English and Welsh Defence Leagues which describe themselves as “a ready-made army” against Muslim fundamentalists.

There have been riots and arrests in English cities, including Birmingham and Luton, which have led to scores of arrests after the group has clashed with anti-fascist campaigners. There have also been marches in Wrexham and Swansea.

The groups have been described as “divisive” and “hate-based” by Plaid Cymru AM Leanne Wood.

Wales Online

From 2010

Derek Phin jailed for mosque threat after Lee Rigby murder

By
February 28, 2014
facebook, hate crime, Jailed, religiously aggravated threatening behaviour, religiously-aggravated offence, scottish defence league
Derek Phin

Derek Phin

An Aberdeen man who posted a Facebook comment about burning down a mosque in the wake of Lee Rigby’s murder has been jailed.

Derek Phin, 46, admitted posting the threatening and abusive remark about Edinburgh Central Mosque on the social networking site in June last year

British soldier Lee Rigby was attacked and killed in London in May.

At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Sheriff Annella Cowan jailed Phin for 12 months.

Police had confronted Phin at his home after receiving a tip-off about the comment.

He later stated to officers that he was a member of the Scottish Defence League.

Phin admitted during a previous court appearance posting a threatening and abusive remark with religious prejudice.

Defence agent David Sutherland said: “My client accepts it was unacceptable and inexcusable.”

Sheriff Cowan said: “Justice in this country is measured and considered.

“Everyone in this country is entitled to the same freedoms and protections.

“You have abused what you think is your right to free speech to threaten the safety of innocent people in their place of worship because of your mistaken understanding of what they or their co-religionists stand for.

“Nothing other than a prison sentence is appropriate.”

Earlier this week, Michael Adebolajo was given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale was jailed for a minimum of 45 years for Lee Rigby’s murder outside Woolwich barracks in south-east London.

They drove a car into Fusilier Rigby at 30-40mph, before dragging him into the road and attacking him with knives and attempting to decapitate him with a meat cleaver.

BBC News

Racist gang sentenced for ‘completely and utterly disgraceful’ attack on Cambridge restaurant days after Lee Rigby murder.

By
February 19, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Racial Conviction, Racist Abuse, Suspended sentence, threatening behaviour, Uncategorized

A gang launched a “completely and utterly disgraceful” racist attack on staff at a Cambridge restaurant in the wake of the Lee Rigby murder.

Mai Thai restaurant, Hobbs Pavilion, Park Terrace, Cambridge: Picture Keith Heppell

Mai Thai restaurant, Hobbs Pavilion, Park Terrace, Cambridge: Picture Keith Heppell

The five friends – three of whom have been locked up – chased and assaulted staff, threw glass bottles and bins and hurled racial abuse outside the Mai Thai restaurant by Parker’s Piece as they chanted “EDL”.

They goaded two brothers into coming outside before attacking them while shouting racist abuse on June 6 last year, a few days after the brutal murder of Fusilier Rigby in Woolwich.

The manager of the restaurant, who did not want to be named, told the News after the Cambridge Crown Court sentencing they attacked Muslim and Thai workers – and then turned on some of the 20 or so police officers who arrived on the scene.

He said: “It was very nasty. They attacked staff for no reason who were trying to get on with their work and shouted racial abuse, which was completely and utterly disgraceful.

“I’m glad they have been given these sentences. These are thugs who have got nothing better to do and hopefully this will teach them a lesson that it’s not something they can get away with.”

Marti Blair, prosecuting, said the offence started when one of the group tapped on the window of the restaurant and made aggressive gestures to staff as they were clearing up.

She said: “A member of staff thought it could be some sort of hate race incident and he called police, which was reasonable given the Lee Rigby killing had only just taken place a couple of weeks earlier and there had followed a number of race hate attacks at that time.”

She described how some of the gang started pushing two members of staff, leaving the brothers with damaged ribs and ripped shirts.

They then threw glass bottles and bins at the door while chanting the far right group’s name and demanding they “go home”.

She said: “All of the witnesses describe how the group were chanting EDL and saying things like ‘go back to your country’.”

Joshua Collinson-Prime, 19, formerly of Victoria Road, Arbury, William Jacey, 21, of Brampton Road, Royston, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all admitted violent disorder.

Leon Jackson, 24, and Daniel Mooney, 20, both of Gonville Place, Trumpington, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of racially aggravated threatening behaviour.

Jacey was jailed for a year, Collinson-Prime was sent to a youth offenders’ institution for a year and the youth was given a one-year detention and training order.

Jackson and Mooney were each given eight-month jail sentences suspended for two years and must do 200 hours of unpaid work. The young group have nearly 40 previous convictions between them.

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth, sentencing at Cambridge Crown Court, described it as a “thoroughly unpleasant racist attack” and added: “It will simply not be tolerated.”

One of the victims said in a statement read out in court that he was still scared for his safety.

He said: “These people know where I work and clearly have an issue with me and the colour of my skin and this is not an issue that is going to go away.”

Cambridge News

Thug glassed a man at his Newcastle home – because he asked him to put his dog on a lead.

By
February 15, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed
Matthew Walley

Matthew Walley

DRUNKEN Matthew Walley smashed a man over the head with a bottle – after he was asked to put his dog on a lead.

The 22-year-old was told by Mark Dias to put his dog on a leash as he was concerned it may harm his partner’s cat.

But Walley who had drunk 20 cans of lager, became aggressive.

Mr Dias told him he did not want any trouble but the defendant raised his hand and smashed a bottle or glass on his head causing a 2cm cut

Now Walley has been jailed for two years and three months after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard Walley had spent May 25 drinking and at 11pm Mr Dias noticed the defendant’s dog was in his partner’s garden in Silverdale Road, Newcastle.

Prosecutor Joanne Wallbanks said: “Mr Dias asked the defendant if he would put the dog on its lead as he was concerned his partner’s cat would be harmed.

“The defendant was acting as if he had been drinking, and was irrational and aggressive.

“The defendant said, ‘Come on lad’. He was twice the size as Mr Dias who said he did not want any trouble.

“The defendant raised his hand and slammed a bottle or glass on Mr Dias’s head causing a 1cm-2cm laceration, which was glued.”

Police arrived and Walley said: “If you touch me I will set my dog on you.”

The court heard Walley, of Kimberley Road, Newcastle, has previous convictions for threatening behaviour, robbery, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Stuart Muldoon, mitigating, said Walley had a history of mental illness but his family have seen a dramatic change in him as a result of the medication he has been prescribed.

Mr Muldoon said: “He is adamant that his future is positive. He now realises the triggers behind his offending, both the use of alcohol, binge drinking, and the regular use of cannabis. He appreciates cannabis exacerbates whatever issues are going on in his mind.”

Judge Paul Glenn said a sentence of immediate custody was inevitable and jailed Walley for 27 months.

He said: “Mr Dias was simply trying to get his partner’s cat in the house. He was concerned about the cat’s safety and asked you to put your dog on a lead.

“You became aggressive and confrontational.

“He was scared and he told you he did not want any trouble. You smashed a glass or bottle against his head and the glass shattered.

“Fortunately the injuries were not as serious as they could have been but they required hospital treatment.”

Judge Glenn said the offence was aggravated because Walley used a weapon, he has relevant previous convictions, he was on bail for another matter and was drunk.

He added: “As matters stand you represent a high risk of re-offending and of causing serious harm to other people.”

Stoke Sentinel

Matt Walley facebook

Matt Walley facebook

EDL member sentenced for nailing copy of Koran to Muslim centre

By
February 12, 2014
community order, criminal damage, EDL, English Defence League, hate crime, racially-aggravated criminal damage

A MEMBER of a far-right group nailed a copy of the Koran to a proposed Muslim education centre.

Graham French, 28, also sprayed EDL, which stands for English Defence League, on the former Melrose Arms in Shotton Colliery, in December.

It was after planning permission for a change of use, which has caused controversy, was granted.

French, of Dene Crescent, Shotton Colliery, admitted racial or religious aggravated criminal damage to the wall of a multi-faith centre.

He was given a community order with six months supervision at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court plus a one-month tagged curfew between 10.30pm and 7am.

Sunderland Echo

EDL demonstrator who shouted racist abuse in Farnworth loses appeal

By
February 1, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Racial Conviction, Racist Abuse

AN ENGLISH Defence League demonstrator has lost an appeal against a conviction for shouting racist abuse at a rally in Farnworth last year.

John Banks was among the EDL supporters who congregated at Farnworth Park on August 26 last year where there was also a counter demonstration staged by Unite Against Facism.

Within seconds of getting off a coach at the park, Banks was arrested for shouting a racist remark.

He was later found guilty of using racist threatening or abusive words or behaviour in a trial at Bolton Magistrates Court on November 26 and yesterday, at Bolton Crown Court, he appealed against the conviction.

Banks, aged 55, of Adwick Lane, Toll Bar, Doncaster, arrived at court dressed in a T-shirt bearing the slogan “Gay Rights in Islam”.

Recorder Abigail Hudson and two magistrates hearing the appeal had to halt the proceedings three times after Banks tried to use it as a stage for his political beliefs instead of concentrating on the facts of the case.

The police officers who arrested Banks said that Banks arrived in the park carrying a loudhailer and behaving “loudly”.

A man was seen holding up a flag with an Islamic symbol on it and the court heard Banks shouted a racist remark towards the person carrying it as he was arrested.

Banks, who boasted that he had been arrested in several towns around the country, told the court: “If someone comes to an EDL demonstration they are not going to watch Bambi.”

Recorder Hudson told Banks the case against him had been proved and his appeal was dismissed.

Bolton News

Father jailed over Walsall EDL rally violence

By
February 1, 2014
EDL, English Defence League, Jailed, Uncategorized

GB

He went out to protest on the streets of the Black Country, his face covered with a mask bearing the cross of St George, before hurling missiles towards police.

But today father-of-two and English Defence League supporter Gareth Ballan was starting a 27-month sentence behind bars.

Ballan wore the mask as he joined hundreds of others for the English Defence League rally in Walsall town centre.

As scenes turned ugly he was seen to throw two missiles, one a drinks can and the other an unconfirmed object, which may have been a brick, towards a police line.

He was later seen standing at the front of a crowd of EDL supporters with his arms raised in the air, chanting and encouraging the crowd by pointing towards the police line.

At Wolverhampton Crown Court, sitting in Birmingham yesterday, he was sentenced to 27 months for violent disorder relating to the events of September 29, 2012.

Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting, said that although there was no evidence of the 28-year-old kicking or punching there had been two objects thrown.

Mr Harry Lally, defending, said bricklayer Ballan, of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, was remorseful and at the time had personal issues.

He added: “It is out of character. He travelled of course from the North East to Walsall and he fully accepts what he did do that wholly out of order.”

More than 30 men were sentenced at Crown Court in December but the case of Ballan had been adjourned for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He had initially denied the offence but pleaded guilty on the day of the trial.

Judge Mr Nicholas Webb, said: “During this disorder you were provocative and on two occasions threw a missile.”

Scenes in Walsall on the say of the rally were described as an ‘orgy of violence’ as yobs threw wood and bricks towards police. Thugs were also spotted overturning and dismantling a table to use its legs as weapons.

Police carried out a year-long investigation to bring those responsible to justice and 31 men had already been sentenced for more than 55 years. Officers spent almost 500 hours working on the case to track down those involved.

Express & Star

Neo-Nazi thug jailed for 10-year campaign of violence towards women but victims hit out after being locked out of courtroom

By
February 1, 2014
assault, Jailed, scottish defence league

SIOBHAN Melrose and Leigh Cameron blast four-and-a-half-year sentence for James Boyd and reveal they didn’t even get the satisfaction of seeing him being sent down because the court was packed with racist’s family.

BNP member James Boyd poses with a samurai sword

BNP member James Boyd poses with a samurai sword

A NEO-NAZI race hate thug was jailed yesterday for a horrific 10-year campaign of violence against women.

But two of James Boyd’s five victims were left furious after being locked out of court as he was being sentenced.

They were forced to stand outside because all the seats were taken by Boyd’s family.

The women also slammed the brute’s four-and-a-half year jail sentence, insisting it should have been much more.

Love rat Boyd, 28 – who has a string of convictions for racist attacks and has been described by police as “a predatory, callous and unremorseful individual” – battered two of his victims when they were heavily pregnant.

He told one she didn’t deserve a child as he booted her in the stomach. Another victim, aged 14, was left with terrible injuries when Boyd, from Whitburn, West Lothian, stamped on her private parts in a bid to make her unable to have kids.

His most recent ex-partner Siobhan Melrose, 26, and Leigh Cameron, 24 – who was pregnant with his child when he tried to strangle her and throw her down the stairs – were unable to sit in the public benches at the High Court in Glasgow because there wasn’t enough room.

Both women, also from Whitburn, described Boyd’s sentence as “disgusting” and insisted he should have got at least eight years for putting them through years of hell.

Leigh said: “I hope he rots in hell for what he did to us. He will always be a danger to women but to think he’ll be out in three years makes me sick.

“We hoped watching him being sentenced would give us closure but we were robbed of that because his family were allowed to take up the entire court.

“It’s outrageous. We have made an official complaint.”

Siobhan endured three years of hell before she fled his clutches last year. She added: “We were hoping for at least double that sentence. It’s not even nearly enough for what he did to us.”

But the victim who was in her teens when she was viciously attacked by Boyd said: “This is a great result for us. Months ago he was walking about the streets telling everyone he was innocent and we had all made it up.”

The girl – who was battered, kicked and spat on by BNP and National Front activist Boyd in a series of attacks between 2004 and 2006 – added: “He has been exposed for what he is – an evil predator who beats up wee girls and I’m happy with that.”

Racist thug James Boyd poses with a Nazi flag

Racist thug James Boyd poses with a Nazi flag

Sentencing him, Judge Lord Turnbull said: “You have pleaded guilty to a catalogue of violence against women.

Over a 10-year period, you displayed bullying and domineering behaviour. You have deep-rooted problems in your attitude to women.

“I’m satisfied that in the past you posed a danger to women and unless you change your attitude, you will continue to be a danger to women in the future.”

Boyd was also ordered to be monitored in the community for two years after his release.

Earlier this month, the Record exposed cowardly Boyd’s obsession with Adolf Hitler and showed him pictured brandishing a swastika flag.

In another snap, he posed with a samurai sword with Combat 18 – the neo-Nazi organisation – tattooed on his arm. He also has a skull and crossbones tattooed on the back of his shaven head.

Daily Record

Man posted comment about burning down mosque after Lee Rigby murder

By
January 31, 2014
Racial Conviction, Racist Abuse, scottish defence league

A man has been warned he could face jail for posting a Facebook comment about burning down a mosque in the wake of Lee Rigby’s murder.

Derek Phin, 46, appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty to posting the threatening and abusive remark on the social network last June.

British soldier Lee Rigby was off duty in southeast London when he was attacked and killed on May 22 last year.

Radical groups then tried to exploit the soldier’s murder resulting in attacks and protests against the UK’s muslim community.

Phin, of Aberdeen, admitted posting on Facebook that Edinburgh Central Mosque should be burnt down on July 2 during a counter demo.

The mosque was due to be packed at the time for a meeting organised by pressure group Unite Against Fascism in response to extreme right wing protests.

Fiscal depute David Bernard told the court that police had been tipped off to Phin’s comment which he put online on June 30.

He said: “On July 13 police received information that a comment of a racially motivated nature and thought to incite racial hatred had been posted on Facebook social network site on a page pertaining to the Scottish Defence League.

“One of the comments had been from a user account in the name of Derek Phin and had been posted on June 30, 2013 as part of a conversation about a Unite Against Fascism campaign to be held at an Edinburgh mosque on July 2.

“The comment attributed to Phin read ‘burn the mosque down when the meeting is ongoing’.”

Police confronted Phin at his home in Aberdeen on September 4.

He was taken to a police station where he admitted making the comment and stated he was a member of the Scottish Defence League. He was then cautioned and charged.

Defence agent David Sutherland said the mail-room worker had put the comment on Facebook as he felt that the men who committed Mr Rigby’s murder were being protected by the authorities in the aftermath of the attack.

Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale were found guilty of the fusilier’s murder at the Old Bailey on December 19.

Mr Sutherland said: “The background involves the murder of Lee Rigby.

“This was his reaction to his perception of how the authorities dealt with the murder of Lee Rigby – his reaction to how the people were protected by the authorities for what they had done.

“He accepts that it was an entirely inappropriate comment. He has not used Facebook since he appeared in court.”

Sheriff Annella Cowan deferred sentence for the preparation of reports and released Phin on bail.

She warned him: “You should not use Facebook. You should be putting your affairs in order in case you go to jail. There will be no predeterminations but it is a serious consideration.”


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