A MARYPORT man responding online to police action to deter public disorder in Carlisle published a Facebook post which encouraged violence, a court heard.

A District Judge sitting at Carlisle’s Rickergate court jailed 31-year-old Billy Thompson after hearing that his Facebook message responded to news of a city centre dispersal order to prevent disorder with the words “Filthy ****ards.”

The comment was accompanied by emojis showing an ethnic minority person and a gun.

Imposing a 12-week jail term, District Judge John Temperley told the defendant, from Victory Crescent, Maryport, that there had to be a deterrent sentence to discourage the kind of violent behaviour that such messages encouraged.

Thompson pleaded guilty to an allegation of posting an offensive or menacing message as defined by the Communications Act.

George Shelley, prosecuting, outlined the facts.

He said Thompson’s message was posted on Wednesday in response to the news that Cumbria Police had approved a so-called dispersal order for most of Carlisle city centre, giving officers extra powers to deal with disorder.

Those powers include the ability to break up groups or arrest people wearing face coverings to hide their identity.

After describing the defendant's comments and the emojis he used, Mr Shelley said Thompson claimed he did not know his message amounted to an offence. He said he was unhappy that the police could cordon off streets in Carlisle.

Kate Hunter, defending, said Thompson made the comment as part of an online Facebook conversation with a family member. “It relates to the police, and not anything else,” said Miss Hunter.

A full-time delivery driver, Thompson was the father of a 17-month-old child. Miss Hunter said: “He’s been given advice and has said that he certainly won’t be repeating this behaviour again.”

District Judge Temperley told the defendant: “It may be right that the starting point [sentence] is a community order for this offence but I am afraid this has to be viewed within the context of the current civil unrest up and down the country.

“I have no doubt at all that your post was connected to that wider picture; I don’t accept that your comment and emojis were directed at the police.

“Your comments on arrest clearly demonstrated to me that there was a racial element to the message and the post of those images. That has to be reflected in the sentence…

"There needs to be a deterrent element in the sentence I impose because this sort of behaviour has to stop.

“To encourage others to behave in the same way ultimately leads to the sort of problems on the streets we have seen in so many places up and down the country.

"It is serious enough for custody.” The defendant, of Victory Crescent, Maryport,  will be released at the halfway point in his sentence, when he will be obliged to pay a £154 surcharge.

Some of his family members could be heard weeping in the court’s public gallery as he was led away to start his sentence.

After the case, Chief Superintended Carl Patrick said: “I hope today’s swift charge and sentencing sends a clear message to anyone who thinks it is acceptable to post racially aggravated comments online.

“This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and will continue to carry out this proactive policing approach.

“Where there is evidence of people inciting hatred or promoting violence on our streets, our officers will not hesitate to take action.

“We continue to monitor social media and ask that anyone with any information relating to potential planned disorder in the county contacts police via 101.”