England riots: pair jailed for four years for using Facebook to incite disorder
Two men – whose posts did not result in riot-related event – sentenced at Chester crown court after arrests last week
Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, one of two men jailed for four years at Chester crown court for using Facebook to incite disorder, even though their actions did not cause rioting.
Two men have been jailed for four years for using Facebook to incite disorder.
Jordan Blackshaw, 20, from Marston near Northwich, and Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, 22, from Warrington, appeared at Chester crown court on Tuesday. They were arrested last week following incidents of violent disorder in London and other cities across the UK.
Neither of their Facebook posts resulted in a riot-related event.
During the sentencing, the recorder of Chester, Elgan Edwards, praised the swift actions of Cheshire police and said he hoped the sentences would act as a deterrent to others.
Assistant Chief Constable Phil Thompson said: "If we cast our minds back just a few days to last week and recall the way in which technology was used to spread incitement and bring people together to commit acts of criminality, it is easy to understand the four year sentences that were handed down in court today.
"In Cheshire, we quickly recognised the impact of the situation on our communities and the way in which social media was being used to promote and incite behaviour that would strike fear in to the hearts of our communities.
"From the offset, Cheshire constabulary adopted a robust policing approach using the information coming into the organisation to move quickly and effectively against any person whose behaviour was likely to encourage criminality. Officers took swift action against those people who have been using Facebook and other social media sites to incite disorder.
"The sentences passed down today recognise how technology can be abused to incite criminal activity, and send a strong message to potential troublemakers about the extent to which ordinary people value safety and order in their lives and their communities. Anyone who seeks to undermine that will face the full force of the law."
• This article was amended on 17 August 2011. The original referred to the recorder of Chester as Elgin Edwards. This misspelling has been corrected.
Shameless Screen Grab courtesy of The Guardian
Facebook incitement to disorder can carry prison time for "bad people" who boast frequently of doing "bad things". Even High School Aged LARPers sitting in their parents basements "plotting" their supervillain games. Mostly, because everything in Facebook is recorded, and backed up and available for warrant.
Villainy has been very effective by using Humor and Parody to effect subtle yet significant change in the superhero community. There is a truth that can be communicated - "superheroes really should be questioned", and that can best be communicated if and only if people will listen. If all they hear are stories about threats from people calling themselves "supervillains" the reasonable arguments that make a real change can't be heard for the anger and resentment an audience will hear from peers instead.
Not Flakking. Not here. This is the blog of NO Flakking. Superhero documentary comes out, that's entirely someone else's job to comment. Not Oneself. Fighting for Brand Identity in Facebook? Not me. No Flakking.
One is a humble businessman in the business of Evil. Waaaay over here, in the Fourth Estate.
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