An internet troll threatened to drive a van to the King's coronation and blow himself up, a court heard. Richard Jackson, of Didsbury, made the threats during a live feed on TikTok on May 4, two days before the event, despite not having a van or any explosives.
Under police interview, he said he had no means or intention to carry out his threat and was merely trying to get a reaction from others on the platform. An investigation by counter terror cops confirmed Jackson was not in possession of any substances that could be used to carry out the attack - nor did he have a van.
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Jackson, 28, of Brixton Avenue, pleaded guilty to sending an electronic communication which conveyed a threat. He was given a 12-month community order and told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work by Manchester magistrates' court.
Louise Hartley, senior prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Richard Jackson made several comments on TikTok that amounted to threatening to blow himself up at the coronation. Jackson didn’t get the reaction he was looking for, instead he found himself before the court.
"I hope in future he will think twice before commenting on social media."
