- Julie Sweeney, a 53-year-old woman from Cheshire, posted on Facebook calling for a mosque to “be blown up with the adults inside.”
- She has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for her actions.
Sweeney, of Lawtongate Estate, Church Lawton, appeared before Chester Crown Court on Wednesday, August 14, where she was sentenced following her guilty plea to charges of sending communications threatening death.
The incident occurred on August 5, when Cheshire Police received a complaint concerning a hateful message posted on a Facebook group in with members from the Kidsgrove area. Sweeney was swiftly identified through her online profile, leading to her arrest and subsequent charges.
A spokesperson for Cheshire Police stated:
"Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post abusive and threatening messages online. People may think that posting hateful messages on social media, instead of engaging in this sort of behaviour in person, offers them some sort of anonymity. But this could not be further from the truth. As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide. If you choose to engage in this behaviour, whether in person or online, we will find you and you will be held responsible."
During sentencing, Judge Steven Everett, the Honorary Recorder of Chester, reportedly admonished Sweeney:
"You should have been looking at the news and media with horror like every right-minded person. Instead, you chose to take part in stirring up hatred. You were part of a Facebook account which had 5,100 members. You had a big audience. You threatened a mosque, wherever it was. It truly was a terrible threat. So-called keyboard warriors like you must learn to take responsibility for your disgusting and inflammatory language."
Julie’s husband, David Sweeney, 76, described her sentence as “well over the top” and maintained that his wife of 29 years is not a racist. He attributed her actions to an “emotional breakdown” triggered by the Southport knife attack.
Islamophobic hate crime in the UK has soared by 600% since October 7th according to UK charity Tell Mama.
