Two fined for sectarian Facebook posts

Published Friday, 13 April 2012

Two Ballymena men have been fined over sectarian comments made on the social networking site Facebook and reported to police by a Stormont MLA during last summer's marching season.

The court was told that one of Boyd's posts said: "Kill all taigs." (© UTV)

A PSNI investigation was launched into the online remarks, which included death threats against Catholics and prompted further messages by others believed to have been directed at Sinn Féin's Daithi McKay.

Dean Boyd, 21 and from Skye Park in the Co Antrim town and 20-year-old Matthew McKenna, from Lisnahilt Road in Broughshane, both pleaded guilty to sending grossly offensive or indecent messages.

One post by Boyd read: "Kill all taigs", while McKenna added: "Let's show the scum in Rasharkin how it is done. God save the Queen. For God and Ulster, Kill all Taigs. Lest we forget."

The court had heard that Boyd had been drinking to celebrate his 21st birthday when he posted the comments and that, having intended them only for his friends rather than to stir up hatred, he had quickly removed them.

He also expressed remorse in court.

It is comments like this that excite and exacerbate any tensions within this community and we can well do without it.
Judge Richard Wilson

"He runs in mixed circles and his friends heard of this and he suffered quite a deal of appropriate opprobrium for what he has done," his defence solicitor said.

Presiding over the case at Coleraine Magistrates' Court on Friday, district judge Richard Wilson condemned what he branded "rabble-rousing" comments.

He fined Boyd - an unemployed father-of-one whose partner is Catholic - £250.

"I hope you realise how inappropriate and stupid your comments are," Judge Wilson said.

Fining McKenna £400, the judge added: "These stupid, rabble-rousing sentiments are better left unsaid and your mouth zipped."

The prosecution over a social networking offence is understood to be one of the first of its kind in Northern Ireland.

Speaking about the convictions, Daithí McKay said any such comments needed to be taken seriously.

"No-one would get away with making such comments in the street and it's important that a message is sent out that sectarian comments and threats such as this are not acceptable and in this instance can inflame tensions," the North Antrim MLA said.

"Sectarianism is a scourge on this society and all sectarian death threats that are made in any context need to be taken seriously."

Comments

9 Comments

andy in belfast wrote (429 days ago):

Agree with bobby, Cluan Place in East Belfast gets hit almost every day with bricks, bottles, fireworks, golf balls etc police or media dont want to know. The first minor sectarian incident caused by protestants on a social networking site, they get fined and it gets published all over the internet... And before people start yapping on about not being a minor incident, I am pretty certain words on a website causes less hurt that a 6 year old getting hit with a brick whilst playing in the street. One sided law at its best...

Gerry in belfast wrote (430 days ago):

@ mcgurk, no the shocking thing about this story is that one of them is 20 & the other is 21!!!!

Frosty in Here wrote (430 days ago):

Sorry OAP but I disagree. Jail sentences won't rid society of sectarianism, there has to be more cross-community inclusiveness so people can see that not all are as how their bitter, one-sided peers proclaim. Unfortunately, even education can only do so much, as there are those intent on maintaining a divide and others who are intent on unity, each through murder and intimidation. But there will always be those who will run with a pack, mostly through fear and a feeling of protection. It's why so many join our various paramilitary organisations, because they've nothing in them, they're cowards and they can't face up to the truth, or fight their own battles (mostly between reality and their own narcissism), plus there's a badness in them that has a sadistic will to take their problems out on someone else, thereby sectarianism is seen as a legitimate outlet for suppressed anger and frustration at their own shortcomings, bit like wife-beaters.

bobby in belfast wrote (431 days ago):

the police should do more to stop actual attacks happening onn cluan place ...daily bricks and rocks are throw over the fence into the street where kids are playing yet nothing is reported in the media ...disgrace

Boru in Ireland wrote (431 days ago):

Death threats against the Natives - nothing new, it's been going on for centuries; racism will never be an easy problem to handle - racist comments, some say, is within 'freedom of speech'...well, not in this case: Scottish, English, Irish or Welsh - respect to the four, and to the different faiths in the four Nations.

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