Lucy Connolly appeal Rejected

Many of the crowds joining in the riots, even if just stood watching were passing by I read at the time, or came out of their houses on hearing a nearby hubub.So quite a few of them did join in spontaneously.The first instance of surrounding a hotel would have been spread by SM.
Two women who were jailed I think for jumping on a car, were out taking their dog for a walk, a mother and daughter.

Oreo

Casdon

Oreo

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

It’s not the case that nobody was harmed though, as 53 police officers were injured, some seriously, during the riots trying to uphold law and order and protect those who were being targeted.

I did say no asylum seekers were injured and it could never be proved that the tweets incited the violence.It seemed more a spontaneous eruption of anger in various places given the wrong information about the perpetrator on lots of SM boards.

Each riot was planned and orchestrated by social media and phone contacts!

Of course the riots were tweet related - some by incitement, some by turning up!

Just a taste from an informative article

"The role of social media in the riots

Telegram and TikTok and other mainstream social media platforms were used to spread inflammatory misinformation, mobilise far-right groups, and organise violent protests across the UK.

Research by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD)

revealed a staggering 327% increase in posting activity on far-right Telegram channels in the 10 days following the incident.

This surge in activity highlights the challenges law enforcement face in monitoring and controlling the spread of misinformation and hate speech.

policinginsight.com/feature/advertisement/uk-riots-social-medias-role-in-misinformation-and-violence/

I don't think people who hold abhorrent views come from unattractive parts of the country or have fairly hopeless lives.

Hmm , now what was I just saying upthread about it being nice that we can discuss matters without insults?😄

Oreo

foxie48

Oreo people from all backgrounds kill others, we are far more likely to be murdered by someone we know than a refugee, yet hundreds of people took to the streets and attacked hotels where migrants were housed, attacked mosques etc Clearly there's a section of the population who need little, if any, provocation to start attacking groups of people they think should not be living in the UK. I've been a member of GN for several years but I can't recall another post that has questioned why someone has not been released on appeal and offered support to that person, so I think my question is perfectly valid.

Of course we are all more likely to be murdered by somebody we know, that’s well documented.
The section of the population you are talking about are, in the main living fairly hopeless lives in the most unattractive places in the country.That fact is relevant.
There has to be consequences for tweets such as we are discussing but a lot of people feel as I do, that her prison sentence is too long and didn’t need to be prison worthy in the first place.I won’t change your feelings on this and you won’t change mine, but that’s ok.

That's somewhat patronising! Are you suggesting people who live in unattractive parts of the country have lower moral values and you should be judged differently?

PS. It doesn't matter whether nobody or a lot of people feel as you do. Trying to prove that you are in some kind of majority is an attempt at mob rule. It's what toddlers do when they try to prove they are justified.

GrannyRose15

Smileless2012

Other offenders being given lenient sentences doesn't mean she should be released any sooner.

Of course it is relevant. We need a fair, proportional and consistent justice system. We certainly haven’t got one at the moment.

That might very well be true, but it's not up to any individual judge to take matters into his/her own hands. Judges use the existing sentencing guidelines and that's what has happened here. It would take years for every single crime and punishment to be reconsidered. It's not up to a few loud-mouthed members of the public to decide on a whim.

foxie48

Oreo people from all backgrounds kill others, we are far more likely to be murdered by someone we know than a refugee, yet hundreds of people took to the streets and attacked hotels where migrants were housed, attacked mosques etc Clearly there's a section of the population who need little, if any, provocation to start attacking groups of people they think should not be living in the UK. I've been a member of GN for several years but I can't recall another post that has questioned why someone has not been released on appeal and offered support to that person, so I think my question is perfectly valid.

Of course we are all more likely to be murdered by somebody we know, that’s well documented.
The section of the population you are talking about are, in the main living fairly hopeless lives in the most unattractive places in the country.That fact is relevant.
There has to be consequences for tweets such as we are discussing but a lot of people feel as I do, that her prison sentence is too long and didn’t need to be prison worthy in the first place.I won’t change your feelings on this and you won’t change mine, but that’s ok.

Smileless2012

Other offenders being given lenient sentences doesn't mean she should be released any sooner.

Of course it is relevant. We need a fair, proportional and consistent justice system. We certainly haven’t got one at the moment.

I blame the last series of Conservative governments more than the present one on sky high immigration figures but they are in charge now and the white paper is a start but if they fail to get a handle on this subject in the next few short years we will end up with Reform.

Casdon

Oreo

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

It’s not the case that nobody was harmed though, as 53 police officers were injured, some seriously, during the riots trying to uphold law and order and protect those who were being targeted.

I did say no asylum seekers were injured and it could never be proved that the tweets incited the violence.It seemed more a spontaneous eruption of anger in various places given the wrong information about the perpetrator on lots of SM boards.

Police officers were injured, they were subjected to abuse, attacked using wheely bins, had things thrown at them. This woman added fuel to a dangerous time of riots and disorder.

To refer to her as a political prisoner is without a shred of justification. Yes our CJS needs an overhaul. Largely as a direct result of the last 14 years when it’s been run into the ground. Thank goodness we have experienced and well informed people in charge.

Oreo

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

I do think they understand all too well, it's what to do about it that matters. We have after all just only just had a White Paper on legal immigration/visas which is intended to tighten up the system and covers the vast majority of migration into the country. Changes were also made to visa arrangements December 2024 about bringing family in.

But there are no quick magic fixes - after a situation thats built up for years and involves changes to administering and putting new guidelines into practice won't be speedy.

And are the public told this or is news filtered through hostile media outlets

If the police had not intervened then there would have been casualties

The riot nearest where I live was on fire inside the hotel before the police intervened. they did so despite bricks and other missiles being thrown at the police and police injuries.

Oreo people from all backgrounds kill others, we are far more likely to be murdered by someone we know than a refugee, yet hundreds of people took to the streets and attacked hotels where migrants were housed, attacked mosques etc Clearly there's a section of the population who need little, if any, provocation to start attacking groups of people they think should not be living in the UK. I've been a member of GN for several years but I can't recall another post that has questioned why someone has not been released on appeal and offered support to that person, so I think my question is perfectly valid.

Oreo

growstuff

Oreo

Isn’t it wonderful that we can all air our very different views without resorting to insults.Very rare for SM.

Gransnet is a moderated site. If anybody ever posted anything like Lucy Connolly did, the post would be reported and deleted.

Am sure that wouldn’t happen here, but anyway I meant that posters aren’t insulting each other.

Posters do sometimes insult each other, even on GN. There have even been posts which could arguably be classified as incite, but they are usually deleted quickly.

Oreo

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

It’s not the case that nobody was harmed though, as 53 police officers were injured, some seriously, during the riots trying to uphold law and order and protect those who were being targeted.

However no asylum seekers were injured in the riots last year so it cannot be proved that the tweets were or were not actually harming anyone.
I know it could have happened, but fortunately it didn’t.
I doubt very much that anyone in government actually understands why people in some areas/ communities feel so angry and let down and have had enough of high levels of immigration.

foxie48

I'd also want people to think what their reaction would have been if the man who had killed these young girls had been a refugee. Would it have then been acceptable to you? Reading through some of the replies on this thread I feel there has been too much emphasis on the fact that the information circulating on social media had been false but IMO that's absolutely of no consequence. Surely inciting people to commit burn buildings occupied by anyone is totally inappropriate regardless of the circumstances.

Well of course it’s inappropriate I don’t think anyone would disagree there.
Asylum seekers have gone on to murder people in a few countries, it happens.When it does it naturally angers and worries people.

growstuff

Oreo

Isn’t it wonderful that we can all air our very different views without resorting to insults.Very rare for SM.

Gransnet is a moderated site. If anybody ever posted anything like Lucy Connolly did, the post would be reported and deleted.

Am sure that wouldn’t happen here, but anyway I meant that posters aren’t insulting each other.

Does this woman's child not have a father?
In my professional life I have attended multi agency meetings to discuss plans for a child/ some children after the mother was jailed, and the father was usually involved.

Commit arson and .......

I'd also want people to think what their reaction would have been if the man who had killed these young girls had been a refugee. Would it have then been acceptable to you? Reading through some of the replies on this thread I feel there has been too much emphasis on the fact that the information circulating on social media had been false but IMO that's absolutely of no consequence. Surely inciting people to commit burn buildings occupied by anyone is totally inappropriate regardless of the circumstances.

Here's an analysis which was published in Prospect Magazine:

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/the-weekly-constitutional/69986/understanding-the-sentence-of-lucy-connolly

I think that the leniency of Huw Edwards's sentence iin comparison is perhaps something that angers people.

The two crimes are different of course. However, Connolly's crime may have had serious consequences and endangered people, but Edwards's crime had endangered children.

If you read the court report of the appeal in full nanna you can see it isn't "shoddily" at all. An incredible amount of time and care was taken discussing Connellys circumstances. We might disagree with the Law or comparative Laws but thats a different matter.

ON the afternoon of the events in southport, GN was full of a small group of posters who believed the false rumours and posted very racist comments - which were deleted. And then posters calling them out.

It only calmed down when the police revealed who the attacker was, and by then the thread has to be deleted in full, feelings were so strong. Very thankful for GN moderation then.

I suppose one could argue we should have had full freedom of speech that day? I very much hope not.

but it does show why this issue is still so strongly felt about from different political POV.

nanna8

Yes it is rare, I agree. We are more mature perhaps? I think this woman should have had some sort of re education and perhaps a fine, not jail. She lost a child, her daughter is motherless and now living with her grandparents. A tad excessive when you compare it with shorter sentences for child molestation and actual bodily harm. I am certain I wouldn’t particularly like this lady but she has been treated very shoddily and I just hope that horrible man isn’t behind it.

Where did you read that the child is now living with her grandparents?