THE Warrington man who used a social networking site to incite disorder at the time of the London riots has been jailed for four years.
Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, aged 22, (pictured) of Richmond Avenue, Westy, pleaded guilty to inciting disorder when he appeared before Chester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday).
Another man, Jordan Blackshaw, 20, from Northwich was also jailed for four years after admitting a similar offence.
Judge Elgin Edwards, sentencing the men, praised the swift actions of Cheshire Police and said he hoped the sentences would act as a deterrent to others.
The court heard that Sutcliffe-Keenan had set up a page called “Warrington riots” on Facebook in which he encouraged people to take part in disorder in the town.
After the hearing, Assistant Chief Constable Phil Thompson said: “If we cast our minds back just a few days to last week and recall the way in which technology was used to spread incitement and bring people together to commit acts of criminality it is easy to understand the four year sentences that were handed down in court today.
“In Cheshire, we quickly recognised the impact of the situation on our communities and the way in which social media was being used to promote and incite behaviour that would strike fear in to the hearts of our communities.
“From the offset Cheshire Constabulary adopted a robust policing approach using the information coming into the organisation to move quickly and effectively against any person whose behaviour was likely to encourage criminality. Officers took swift action against those people who have been using Facebook and other social media sites to incite disorder.
“The sentences passed down today recognise how technology can be abused to incite criminal activity and sends a strong message to potential troublemakers about the extent to which ordinary people value safety and order in their lives and their communities. Anyone who seeks to undermine that will face the full force of the law.”
As a result of the actions of Sutcliffe-Keenan, rumours spread throughout Warrington that gangs of youths were rioting in the town and some businesses closed, or prepared to close.
There were reports of trouble at Latchford, Orford Lane and other areas – all of which were false.
Four years jail for riot yob
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
4 Comments
He got what he deserved.
Why should anybody suffer for what louts like this could have caused.
I agree but sentencing is far to inconsistent. People who took part in the riots get 6 months people who are trying to incite a riot get 4 years. I have saw far less sentencing for rapists and peadophiles as well as killers. The judicial system is a farce.
It might well be a farce, but action was needed and this is what we have got.
I just hope that more severe punishments are handed out soon.
The law has been too soft for years.
I entirely agree with you Silver Server and I do wish the dogooders would stop bleating that the sentence this thing rcevieved is too severe. They should take off their blinkers and see that this was no jolly jape by an arguably low intellect.
This was an attempt to cause a riot which could have had a devestating effect had it succeeded and this thing who used facebook to try to induce people to committ the crime of rioting (and yes, rioting is a crime) would have been the catalyst! Fortunately it did not succeed but that does not make it any less of a crime. There was an inent and it is the intent that is the crime.