TWO people have been jailed for stirring up racial hatred on social media in what is thought to be a UK first following widespread disorder across England and Northern Ireland.
Jordon Parlour, 28, was jailed for 20 months on Friday for publishing Facebook posts encouraging people to attack a hotel in Leeds housing 210 asylum seekers and refugees.
It is the first case of its kind relating to recent far-right disorder, which has so far seen almost 600 people arrested.
Parlour, of Brooklands Close, Leeds, appeared at Leeds Crown Court on Friday after being remanded into custody on Tuesday.
Leeds Crown Court heard how Parlour posted on Sunday about the Britannia Hotel, in the Seacroft area of the city.
He said on Facebook: “Every man and their dog should be smashing f*** out Britannia Hotel.”
The court heard Parlour posted the comments after the hotel had been targeted with people throwing missiles and breaking windows, and more attacks happened later.
The post was before a hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham was attacked, the court was told.
The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, accepted Parlour took no part in the violence but said: “There can be no doubt you were inciting others to do so, otherwise why post the comments?”
Nicholas Hammond, defending, told the judge his client was “not part of any sinister group activity designed to stir up violence” and was “not affiliated with any group”.
The court heard that his mother wrote a letter to court which said: “We can only speculate he’s been caught up and swept away by emotions circulating throughout the country.”
Earlier this week, Parlour admitted publishing written material on Facebook between August 1 and August 5 which was intended to stir up racial hatred.
He appeared to blow a raspberry as he was led from the court.
Rosemary Ainslie, acting head of the CPS special crime and counter terrorism division, said: “Let me be absolutely clear, people who think they can hide behind their keyboards and stir up racial hatred should think again.
“Jordan Parlour advocated violence through his online posts and risked the safety of those staying and working at the hotel.
“He is now facing a prison sentence for his actions and I hope this serves as a stark reminder that online actions have consequences.
“The CPS will continue to act swiftly and robustly regarding these cases, and ensure those responsible for such deplorable criminality are brought to justice.”
A second individual, Tyler Kay, was jailed for 38 months at Northampton Crown Court on Friday.
Kay, 26, was charged with publishing written material which was threatening, abusing or insulting, intending thereby to stir up racial hatred.
The father-of-three used social media to call for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set alight.
Northampton Crown Court was told Kay posted on Twitter/X calling for mass deportation and advising protesters to “mask up”, and also retweeted a screenshot of a message inciting action against a named immigration solicitors in the town.
Kay, of Ellfield Court, Northampton, looked tired and dishevelled as he was sentenced by Judge Adrienne Lucking KC two days after writing the posts.
The judge told the 26-year-old: “You posted as you did because you thought there were no consequences for yourself from stirring up racial hatred in others.
“The overall tone of the posts clearly reveals your fundamentally racist mindset.
“I am sure that when you intentionally created the posts you intended that racial hatred would be stirred up by your utterly repulsive, racist and shocking posts that have no place in a civilised society.”
