Uk Man Jailed For Wearing "kill A Cop 4 Fun" T-Shirt

[News_Editor]

UK man jailed for wearing "kill a cop 4 fun" t-shirt < br />

2012-10-13 01:05:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND (BNO NEWS) -- A British man who wore a t-shirt with hand-written comments that glorified the murders of two Manchester police officers was sentenced Thursday to four months in prison, prompting free-speech campaigners to condemn what they described as a "heavy" sentence.

Barry Thew, 39, of Radcliffe, earlier pled guilty to a Section 4A Public Order Offense by displaying writing or other visible representation with the intention of causing harassment, alarm or distress. He was sentenced by the Minshull Street Crown Court to a total of eight months in prison, including four months for breaching the conditions of an earlier sentence for cannabis possession.

Police said Thew was arrested at about 2:15 p.m. local time on September 18 after he was seen at Radcliffe town center while wearing a t-shirt with hand-written comments which glorified the murders of two Greater Manchester Police officers just 3.5 hours earlier. The t-shirt read "One less pig; perfect justice" on the front and "kill a cop 4 fun.com ha,haaa?" on the back.

"While officers on the ground were just learning of and trying to come to terms with the devastating news that two colleagues had been murdered, Thew thought nothing of going out in public with a t-shirt daubed with appalling hand written comments on," said Inspector Bryn Williams of Greater Manchester Police.

He added: "Thankfully the overwhelming response from the public ... prove that Thew is the exception and not the rule and our communities were right behind us at our darkest hour. To mock or joke about the tragic events of that morning is morally reprehensible and Thew has rightly been convicted and sentenced for his actions."

But Nick Pickles, the director of civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, condemned the sentence. "This is the latest in a string of heavy-handed sentences that suggests British law has lost sight of all proportion when dealing with certain forms of speech," he said. "However insensitive or upsetting the t-shirt may have been, it is absurd to suggest it warrants four months in prison."

Earlier, Greater Manchester Police arrested a 22-year-old man from Netherley on suspicion of committing an offence under the Communications Act 2003. Officials said the man, whose name has not been released because he has not been charged yet, is accused of setting up a Facebook page which also glorified the police killings, calling the gunman a "legend."

"The way the law deals with social media postings, offensive and insulting language is badly in need of reform before irreparable damage is done to freedom of speech," Pickles said on Thursday. Assistant Chief Constable Garry Shewan previously said the police murders had led to a small number of people posting malicious and upsetting comments online.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-10-13

[folium]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

[sjjmmi]

This would not be news 50 years ago slap on the head and off home with yar lad or i tell your dad

Edited October 12, 2012 by sjjmmi

[londoedan]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Nah, he'll only do a couple of months - I would say thats just about right in the circumstances - he isn't a kid and doesn't have mental issues.

[ThailandBert]

As well as a spell in jail these worthless pieces of scum should go on a database. When they have their house broken into or car stolen the police can go round and just laugh at them

The same goes for any thug that assaults a nurse or doctor. the next time they need medical assistance they are simply pointed to a private clinic where they will have to pay.

[geriatrickid]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Had he just been an ignorant jerk, he would have walked. However, he admitted breaching the terms of a previous suspended jail term. He had previously agreed to restrain his anti-social behaviour. But nooooooooo, he just had to be a bully and try to inflict emotional torment, to encourage violence and to intimidate. The man has a lengthy criminal history. He was sent to a place where he belongs.

[GeorgeO]

This would not be news 50 years ago slap on the head and off home with yar lad or i tell your dad

When I was nine years old (50 years ago) the slap on the head was for much more minor offences ... I know, I had the odd slap myself!

However, we didn't have prats like this getting up to this sort of reprehensible behaviour, as there was still respect for the law, even among the villains.

I say it's a good thing that they have sent this guy down, and I hope the message reaches all the rest of these prats who are glorifying the murder of the two policewomen.

[uptheos]

This would not be news 50 years ago slap on the head and off home with yar lad or i tell your dad

When I was nine years old (50 years ago) the slap on the head was for much more minor offences ... I know, I had the odd slap myself!

However, we didn't have prats like this getting up to this sort of reprehensible behaviour, as there was still respect for the law, even among the villains.

I say it's a good thing that they have sent this guy down, and I hope the message reaches all the rest of these prats who are glorifying the murder of the two policewomen.

The trouble is that the British judges are so inconsistent.

A slap around the head (preferably with an iron bar) would have been sufficient.

[Pi Sek]

1) What a total prat. No brain, clearly.

2) What a ridiculous perversion of justice to convict this guy for being a prat. What, do we now ban the Obama 9-11 T-shirts, offensive rock band T-shirts, etc?

3) In fact, this guy is in jail for two reasons - (i) he got caught in the past with some pot and (ii) he's a prat. What a dangerous man to society.

Edited October 13, 2012 by Pi Sek

[bridge2bridge]

As well as a spell in jail these worthless pieces of scum should go on a database. When they have their house broken into or car stolen the police can go round and just laugh at them

The same goes for any thug that assaults a nurse or doctor. the next time they need medical assistance they are simply pointed to a private clinic where they will have to pay.

I totally agree, these idiots should not be allowed to dis honor the memory of police officers killed while doing their duty.

Complete SCUMBAGS.

[bridge2bridge]

1) What a total prat. No brain, clearly.

2) What a ridiculous perversion of justice to convict this guy for being a prat. What, do we now ban the Obama 9-11 T-shirts, offensive rock band T-shirts, etc?

3) In fact, this guy is in jail for two reasons - (i) he got caught in the past with some pot and (ii) he's a prat. What a dangerous man to society.

Totally different is your comparison.

this is disrespect, or don't you know what that is?

[ChoakMyDee]

Why should the taxpayer have to pay the way for this waste of space?

[easybullet3]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Nah, he'll only do a couple of months - I would say thats just about right in the circumstances - he isn't a kid and doesn't have mental issues.

he SHOULD be allowed to say whatever he wants to say!!!

how many people (in a debate, or on chat shows, or TV) say: "I hope that rapist gets executed", or some kind of pro-nazi (jew killing) comment.

do these people end up in Jail for inciting murder? NO!!

people are allowed to say what they want!

so should the writers of Southpark go to jail??? they do pretty much everything that is possibly bad!!!

but they DONT go to jail!

i think its disgusting how the Police always protect their own! they go to the end of the earth to "look after themselves" (like a maffia family), but they never show such commitment when it comes to 'non-connected' people.

yes, the guty is silly for doing such a thing. but he should NOT be in jail for it. even for a few hours. NO.

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

how about jailing the editors of all newspapers when they WISH or incite that terrorists are caught and killed.

[uptheos]

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

Last time I was there, I was the only one (it was raining too)

But yes I heard that kind of talk

[jambodave]

If this guy"s T shirt comments were aimed an Ethic Minority all hell would have broke lose and people would be callin for his head on a plate

[Wombat6]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Nah, he'll only do a couple of months - I would say thats just about right in the circumstances - he isn't a kid and doesn't have mental issues.

he SHOULD be allowed to say whatever he wants to say!!!

how many people (in a debate, or on chat shows, or TV) say: "I hope that rapist gets executed", or some kind of pro-nazi (jew killing) comment.

do these people end up in Jail for inciting murder? NO!!

people are allowed to say what they want!

so should the writers of Southpark go to jail??? they do pretty much everything that is possibly bad!!!

but they DONT go to jail!

i think its disgusting how the Police always protect their own! they go to the end of the earth to "look after themselves" (like a maffia family), but they never show such commitment when it comes to 'non-connected' people.

yes, the guty is silly for doing such a thing. but he should NOT be in jail for it. even for a few hours. NO.

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

how about jailing the editors of all newspapers when they WISH or incite that terrorists are caught and killed.

I womder if you would make the same comment if you were a parent of either of the murdered Police Officers ??

[sawadeeken]

This 'jerk' shouldn't be able to hide behind laws made for decent people. It is good that some of his previous misdeeds could be used to 'try' to teach him a lesson. I still doubt that he will learn.

How insensitive of him when so many decent people were grieving - Rightfully deserves more punishment than he got.

[Fozfromoz]

This would not be news 50 years ago slap on the head and off home with yar lad or i tell your dad

When I was nine years old (50 years ago) the slap on the head was for much more minor offences ... I know, I had the odd slap myself!

However, we didn't have prats like this getting up to this sort of reprehensible behaviour, as there was still respect for the law, even among the villains.

I say it's a good thing that they have sent this guy down, and I hope the message reaches all the rest of these prats who are glorifying the murder of the two policewomen.

A better punishment would have been 15 minutes in the watch house, cameras turned off. Contact counselling.

[londoedan]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Nah, he'll only do a couple of months - I would say thats just about right in the circumstances - he isn't a kid and doesn't have mental issues.

he SHOULD be allowed to say whatever he wants to say!!!

how many people (in a debate, or on chat shows, or TV) say: "I hope that rapist gets executed", or some kind of pro-nazi (jew killing) comment.

do these people end up in Jail for inciting murder? NO!!

people are allowed to say what they want!

so should the writers of Southpark go to jail??? they do pretty much everything that is possibly bad!!!

but they DONT go to jail!

i think its disgusting how the Police always protect their own! they go to the end of the earth to "look after themselves" (like a maffia family), but they never show such commitment when it comes to 'non-connected' people.

yes, the guty is silly for doing such a thing. but he should NOT be in jail for it. even for a few hours. NO.

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

how about jailing the editors of all newspapers when they WISH or incite that terrorists are caught and killed.

I womder if you would make the same comment if you were a parent of either of the murdered Police Officers ??

Exactly, or even someone, like me, that appreciates and respects the work that the UK police do; day in, day out - I for one don't envy them.

Plus the laws in the UK are very clear:

Hate speech laws in the UK are found in several statutes. Expressions of hatred toward someone on account of that person's colour, race, nationality (including citizenship), ethnic or national origin, religion, or sexual orientation is forbidden. Any communication which is threatening, abusive or insulting, and is intended to harass, alarm, or distress someone is forbidden. The penalties for hate speech include fines, imprisonment, or both.

[easybullet3]

Utter dick....but 4 months for a moronic tshirt. Makes the UK look like Putin's Russia.

Often the best way to deal with brain-dead gits is to let them make fools of themselves , a skill they often excel at.

Nah, he'll only do a couple of months - I would say thats just about right in the circumstances - he isn't a kid and doesn't have mental issues.

he SHOULD be allowed to say whatever he wants to say!!!

how many people (in a debate, or on chat shows, or TV) say: "I hope that rapist gets executed", or some kind of pro-nazi (jew killing) comment.

do these people end up in Jail for inciting murder? NO!!

people are allowed to say what they want!

so should the writers of Southpark go to jail??? they do pretty much everything that is possibly bad!!!

but they DONT go to jail!

i think its disgusting how the Police always protect their own! they go to the end of the earth to "look after themselves" (like a maffia family), but they never show such commitment when it comes to 'non-connected' people.

yes, the guty is silly for doing such a thing. but he should NOT be in jail for it. even for a few hours. NO.

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

how about jailing the editors of all newspapers when they WISH or incite that terrorists are caught and killed.

I womder if you would make the same comment if you were a parent of either of the murdered Police Officers ??

thats a silly comment, and not relevant to the situation.

yes of course, EVERY parent (of a victim) would want the jailing of this man!! (thats obvious!!)

i dont think you read my reply properly. (try reading it this time)

[stiggy]

Act of stupidity from both the guy wearing the stupid offensive T shirt, and the judge convicting him to 4 months.

Would you be put in jail for wearing a justice for Ian Tomlison murdered by the police T- shirt ? Or A taliban t-shirt ?

Absolute double standards being shown here by the court , and the start of potential censorship becoming more prevalent in the UK where does it end?

The Uk is becoming nothing more than a corporate police state, with a bunch of weak minded individuals at the helm.

[bkk_mike]

4 months in jail is a bit steep for the t-shirt...

However, if it was only the t-shirt, and a first offence, he probably wouldn't have even been in court. He was in front of a judge where this was one of several charges against him, and it wasn't his first offence. Personally, I think the judge got it about right.

[Suradit69]

if you know speakers corner in london (hyde park) you will hear this kind of talk all day long!!!

how about jailing the editors of all newspapers when they WISH or incite that terrorists are caught and killed.

Or the journalists working for Rupert who hack into telephones of missing/dead children and cause their parents even more grief. Did any of them ever get to cool their heels in gaol?

Of course if this happened in Thailand, all the usual self-righteous souls would be going on about how the police should be spending all their time going after jet-ski operators, because laws affecting tourists are the only ones that matter.

[londoedan]

thats a silly comment, and not relevant to the situation.

Its called empathy.

[londoedan]

Act of stupidity from both the guy wearing the stupid offensive T shirt, and the judge convicting him to 4 months.

The Uk is becoming nothing more than a corporate police state, with a bunch of weak minded individuals at the helm.

Ha ha ha - we have a winner - idiotic post of the week. The UK, a corporate police state ?

[Scott]

Off-topic posts deleted.

[londoedan]

Or the journalists working for Rupert who hack into telephones of missing/dead children and cause their parents even more grief. Did any of them ever get to cool their heels in gaol?

Not yet, but a number have been charged and are awaiting their day in court. Perhaps they're waiting for the Leveson Inquiry to report before hearing these cases.

[F4UCorsair]

We need to be able to legislate against stupidity!!

[stiggy]

So how would you describe the current police court and social system in the Uk? Please do tell.

I personally see that this latest court action kind of sums it up.

[londoedan]

So how would you describe the current police court and social system in the Uk? Please do tell.

I personally see that this latest court action kind of sums it up.

Cracking and in pace with life in a Western European, democratic country coming to terms with multi-culturalism, recently granted rights for minorities, both sexes, etc.. Its not perfect, but utopian systems of justice are always going to be out of our reach. I think the UK gets it just about spot-on.

It certainly is NOT a police state: thats laughable.