Twitter troll jailed for racist abuse [Archive]

Virago

28th March 2012, 06:52

It appears that you can be held accountable for what you post on the interwebs...

A student who mocked footballer Fabrice Muamba on Twitter after the Bolton Wanderers midfielder collapsed during a match was jailed on Tuesday for inciting racial hatred.

Liam Stacey, 21, provoked revulsion with comments made while the Bolton Wanderers star still lay on the pitch.

The 23-year-old midfielder was left fighting for his life after suffering a cardiac arrest during an FA Cup tie against Tottenham Hotspur on March 17.

Fans in the stadium and those viewing on live television watched in horror as Muamba fell to the ground during the quarter-final clash that was abandoned.

Police were inundated with complaints as members of the public, former soccer player Stan Collymore among them, reported the student's comments.

Stacey, a Swansea University third-year biology undergraduate, was quickly tracked down and arrested.

Last week he admitted inciting racial hatred when he appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court and on Tuesday he was jailed for 56 days at the same court, the Press Association reported.

The first of Stacey's messages began with "LOL (laugh out loud) and said Muamba had died.

Several people took him to task for his views and he responded with a string of offensive comments aimed at other Twitter users.

Muamba remains in intensive care in hospital where his condition is described as serious but stable.

Stacey broke down as he was taken away in handcuffs to a holding cell beneath the court.

District Judge John Charles told him: "In my view there is no alternative to an immediate prison sentence."

The court heard that, when arrested, Stacey admitted his guilt and said he had been drunk at the time.

On the day in question, he had been out watching Wales's rugby grand slam victory and had drunk up to eight pints of beer.

Gareth Jones, defending, said Stacey was completely ashamed of his behaviour.

"On the night in question his comments were vile - he admits that," Jones said.

Stacey has ambitions to become a forensic scientist.
That was now very unlikely, Jones said, and he would "pay dearly for the rest of his life" for what he had done.

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/article/-/13280262/twitter-troll-jailed-for-racist-abuse-of-muamba/

oneofsix

28th March 2012, 07:18

It appears that you can be held accountable for what you post on the interwebs...

http://nz.sports.yahoo.com/football/news/article/-/13280262/twitter-troll-jailed-for-racist-abuse-of-muamba/

Of course you can be held accountable for what you say no matter how or where you say it. The how and where can also go to show how it is meant to be taken but in this case ... well the courts have decided it was wrong thing at the wrong time.

Woodman

28th March 2012, 08:24

But he was drunk.

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 09:23

It's a sad world where we don't even have freedom of speech any more. It won't be long before something like that happens in NZ.

sil3nt

28th March 2012, 09:29

It's a sad world where we don't even have freedom of speech any more. It won't be long before something like that happens in NZ.:facepalm: I am pretty sure you can have freedom of speech anywhere you go because nobody gives a fuck what you say anyway!

nodrog

28th March 2012, 09:34

fuckin golliwogs.

jonbuoy

28th March 2012, 10:00

WTF

http://www.therugbyobserver.co.uk/2012/03/01/news-Drunk-taxi-robber-escapes-jail-term-28578.html

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/2012/01/30/coventry-mum-escapes-jail-term-for-drink-driving-with-toddler-in-car-92746-30226920/

http://news.sky.com/home/uk-news/article/16060883

avgas

28th March 2012, 10:18

Ummm what did he say that was racist? Or have I missed it somewhere........I'm a little sick today so my attention span is a bit dead.

jonbuoy

28th March 2012, 10:28

They won´t print what he said, does it only apply to people with different colored skin or can I go to jail if I call someone on the internet a dumb yank, whinging pom, aussie prick, kiwi sheep shagger, yarpie, pikie, jock, mick or spick? Not all in the same sentence you understand, just to be clear.

sil3nt

28th March 2012, 10:29

Ummm what did he say that was racist? Or have I missed it somewhere........I'm a little sick today so my attention span is a bit dead.The only one I can find is
LOL. Fuck Muamba. He's dead!!! apparently there were more though.

*edit*
Here they are

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA5v2eZ5ZZE

short-circuit

28th March 2012, 11:14

It's a sad world where we don't even have freedom of speech any more. It won't be long before something like that happens in NZ.

Nothing to do with not having freedom of speech - you can say whatever the fuck you like, just don't cry when the consequences kick in

short-circuit

28th March 2012, 11:14

:facepalm: I am pretty sure you can have freedom of speech anywhere you go because nobody gives a fuck what you say anyway!

Oh and that :laugh:

mashman

28th March 2012, 11:20

Oh for the love of Holy Black Female Jesus and her nignog offspring that turned into us... he was technically dead for 78 mins, but why haven't all of the members of the KKK, National Front, Peoples Front of Judea, SmokeU's happily racist tribe and other assorted openly racist groups not been banged up too? I now declare that the world has gone completely, totally and utterly fuckin insane.

pzkpfw

28th March 2012, 11:25

Nothing to do with not having freedom of speech - you can say whatever the fuck you like, just don't cry when the consequences kick in

Yep.

The internet has people creating new meanings of "free" (like "free downloads"!).

A person can't walk into their local Library and start making abusive comments to anyone they feel like. That's not the "free speech" that deserves defending.

The internet (web forums, twitter etc) have made it very very easy to be an arse, and feel there are no consequences. "Oh it's just a joke", or whatever.

I'm going to be happy when this kind of thing happens more often, and the various trolls and abusers learn to control their outbursts.

mashman

28th March 2012, 11:32

FJRider

28th March 2012, 11:59

"Freedom of speech" is not about saying whatever the hell you want, with no possible repercussions ...

pzkpfw

28th March 2012, 12:04

Is there really a difference between having a private conversation online in a public place, to having a private conversation in person in a public place? I don't think there is. Anyone who gets pissed off at the subject matter has the right to speak up, but essentially they're being nosey, rude, interrupting bastards and should keep their overly pointy beaks out of it.

There are places where Twitter feeds become public. For example at a conference where twits sent with a certain hash tag get shown on a scrolling display behind the speaker.

(
"Police were inundated with complaints as members of the public, former soccer player Stan Collymore among them, reported the student's comments."

How did these people see his comments?
)

A private twitter conversation between you and your friend, sure, that's your business. But as soon as the general public can see/read it, then your responsibilities increase.

Just like, say, having an offensive (yes I know that's subjective) loud conversation in a cafe. If other people can hear you (without specifically eavesdropping) they have the right not be unreasonably offended.

e.g. parents who object to excessive swearing from people near them in a cafe. The right to "free speech" of the swearing people does not trump the right of those parents to moderate what their children are exposed to.

avgas

28th March 2012, 12:32

Thank god he didn't mention Scandinavia then.

As for the racist remarks. I would be more concerned about being told to suck a dick, irrelevant of the colour of it.

Ender EnZed

28th March 2012, 13:02

Here they are

There's nothing there that wouldn't be said on KB.

mashman

28th March 2012, 13:33

There are places where Twitter feeds become public. For example at a conference where twits sent with a certain hash tag get shown on a scrolling display behind the speaker.

(
"Police were inundated with complaints as members of the public, former soccer player Stan Collymore among them, reported the student's comments."

How did these people see his comments?
)

A private twitter conversation between you and your friend, sure, that's your business. But as soon as the general public can see/read it, then your responsibilities increase.

Just like, say, having an offensive (yes I know that's subjective) loud conversation in a cafe. If other people can hear you (without specifically eavesdropping) they have the right not be unreasonably offended.

e.g. parents who object to excessive swearing from people near them in a cafe. The right to "free speech" of the swearing people does not trump the right of those parents to moderate what their children are exposed to.

I suppose that's my area of concern, something being "uttered" in a public "domain" makes it public, where in fact it is a private conversation between 2/3/4 people (not saying that this is what happened in this instance), but that should not matter. Where do you draw that line? If I am of the opinion that my comments are for KB members only and visitors to the site read them and get their panties in a bunch enough to send the popo around, then are my intentions ignored because I offended someone who gets offended by anything they don't agree with? There's something very wrong there. Being a racist isn't against the law and is still part of free thinking and free speech unfortunately, irrespective of where the sentiment is conveyed. If some people get offended that's their problem surely? They can choose not to read it, they can choose not to listen, the can challenge the sentiment etc... but being banged up for it, mmmmmm, nar, that's a slippery slope. If that had have been a politician, they would have apologised and that would have been that, in fact Brownlee insulted the Finns recently, definately racist, yet not a murmur, just an apology. Being banged up, no, wrong, totally and utterly.

FJRider

28th March 2012, 14:11

Brownlee insulted the Finns recently, definately racist, yet not a murmur, just an apology. Being banged up, no, wrong, totally and utterly.

The Finn's have still an option to take legal action in any form they choose. If they choose not to ... that is their choice to make. If they don't ... it is not because they can't.

oneofsix

28th March 2012, 14:12

If that had have been a politician, they would have apologised and that would have been that, in fact Brownlee insulted the Finns recently, definately racist, yet not a murmur, just an apology. Being banged up, no, wrong, totally and utterly.

Brownlee had the good sense to make his 'racist' remarks under parliamentary privilege and therefore can't be sued, arrested or any nor procedure. the speaker or his party can slap his wrist but that's all. Meanwhile the Finns have been having their own fun with it.

pzkpfw

28th March 2012, 14:31

I suppose that's my area of concern, something being "uttered" in a public "domain" makes it public, where in fact it is a private conversation between 2/3/4 people (not saying that this is what happened in this instance), but that should not matter. Where do you draw that line? If I am of the opinion that my comments are for KB members only and visitors to the site read them and get their panties in a bunch enough to send the popo around, then are my intentions ignored because I offended someone who gets offended by anything they don't agree with? There's something very wrong there. Being a racist isn't against the law and is still part of free thinking and free speech unfortunately, irrespective of where the sentiment is conveyed. If some people get offended that's their problem surely? They can choose not to read it, they can choose not to listen, the can challenge the sentiment etc... but being banged up for it, mmmmmm, nar, that's a slippery slope. If that had have been a politician, they would have apologised and that would have been that, in fact Brownlee insulted the Finns recently, definately racist, yet not a murmur, just an apology. Being banged up, no, wrong, totally and utterly.

I don't think it's so easy to "choose not to read it" or "choose not to listen".

I agree with KB comment. Fact is, if I ran the Zoo some people would simply be banned for posting what they do. But regardless of my distaste, I know what KB is and I choose to be here and read threads. I can choose not to read what's here, so it's my problem if I get "offended".

But say you are at the football, in the crowd, and tweets with the hash tag #manvsunited are being copied to the big screen. You can't really avoid what's posted there, and that's a case where I think the onus is on the tweeter to use their brain (or the organisers to just not do it).

(P.S. I still don't know exactly how the offended people actually saw those tweets.)

You can say "choose not to read" or "choose not to post" - but there are places where it's better to "choose not to post" or "choose not to speak".

Slippery slope? There are lots of grey (and not so grey) areas. Censorship is bad? Well, I'm happy that child porn is banned.

avgas

28th March 2012, 15:04

Now is not the time,
to say a racist remark,
instead you should just swallow it down,
in time to make a fart.

So don't be a racist,
its not the thing to do.
But be careful when you express yourself,
to not let out a poo.

I think that is my best poem yet. Certainly made me laugh.

Bassmatt

28th March 2012, 15:12

Censorship is bad? Well, I'm happy that child porn is banned.

Youre equating child porn with a couple of racist comments on twitter? :facepalm:

pzkpfw

28th March 2012, 15:55

Youre equating child porn with a couple of racist comments on twitter? :facepalm:

No. I'm not. You missed the point. (It was in the half of that line that you cut off).

Which was: things simply are not black and white. I don't believe in the all or nothing approach.

Some people say censorship is bad, well, most of us agree there are some things that should be censored.

Some people say "free speech!", well, most (?) of us agree there are some things that should not be said in certain situations.

Another example: those memorial web pages where people can talk about someone they loved who died. Then some wanker comes along and posts a bunch of rude upsetting stuff on that web page. Is that "free speech" that should be protected? (I'd like 46 days in jail for that type of person!).

The World has changed.

New ways to bully kids, means new ways needed to protect kids: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/6646458/Cyber-bullying-on-the-rise-experts-warn

New ways to breach privacy, means new ways needed to protect privacy: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6646910/Privacy-laws-to-be-overhauled

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 15:57

:facepalm: I am pretty sure you can have freedom of speech anywhere you go because nobody gives a fuck what you say anyway!

I don't believe that's true because some people feel the need to have a big cry when they get upset over something I say.

They won´t print what he said, does it only apply to people with different colored skin or can I go to jail if I call someone on the internet a dumb yank, whinging pom, aussie prick, kiwi sheep shagger, yarpie, pikie, jock, mick or spick? Not all in the same sentence you understand, just to be clear.

Didn't you know that only white people can be racist? Gooks, spicks and coons can say whatever derogatory comments they want against whites without fear of being labelled a racist.

Nothing to do with not having freedom of speech - you can say whatever the fuck you like, just don't cry when the consequences kick in

I often read things on the internet that I don't approve of, but that doesn't mean I have to kick up a big fuss every time. If I was too scared of being offended then I wouldn't use the internet at all.

Oh for the love of Holy Black Female Jesus and her nignog offspring that turned into us... he was technically dead for 78 mins, but why haven't all of the members of the KKK, National Front, Peoples Front of Judea, SmokeU's happily racist tribe and other assorted openly racist groups not been banged up too? I now declare that the world has gone completely, totally and utterly fuckin insane.

I'm not racist, I'm a realist.

oneofsix

28th March 2012, 16:03

I don't believe that's true because some people feel the need to have a big cry when they get upset over something I say.

Didn't you know that only white people can be racist? Gooks, spicks and coons can say whatever derogatory comments they want against whites without fear of being labelled a racist.

I often read things on the internet that I don't approve of, but that doesn't mean I have to kick up a big fuss every time. If I was too scared of being offended then I wouldn't use the internet at all.

I'm not racist, I'm a realist.

Bloody blanco :shifty:

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 16:08

Bloody blanco :shifty:

First time I've ever heard of that term, I had to search it on urbandictionary.com

oneofsix

28th March 2012, 16:12

First time I've ever heard of that term, I had to search it on urbandictionary.com

Nigger comes from the diminutive of the Spanish for black so just thought I would use the Spanish for white :laugh:

Bassmatt

28th March 2012, 16:12

No. I'm not. You missed the point. (It was in the half of that line that you cut off).

Which was: things simply are not black and white. I don't believe in the all or nothing approach.

Some people say censorship is bad, well, most of us agree there are some things that should be censored.

Some people say "free speech!", well, most (?) of us agree there are some things that should not be said in certain situations.

Another example: those memorial web pages where people can talk about someone they loved who died. Then some wanker comes along and posts a bunch of rude upsetting stuff on that web page. Is that "free speech" that should be protected? (I'd like 46 days in jail for that type of person!).

The World has changed.

New ways to bully kids, means new ways needed to protect kids: http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/6646458/Cyber-bullying-on-the-rise-experts-warn

New ways to breach privacy, means new ways needed to protect privacy: http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6646910/Privacy-laws-to-be-overhauled

Words can only harm if the "victim" allows them to.
Some famous guy said something like this once;

"I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
Pretty much sums up my attitude around this.

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 16:20

Nigger comes from the diminutive of the Spanish for black so just thought I would use the Spanish for white :laugh:

Fair enough. At least I've learnt something new today.

Virago

28th March 2012, 16:38

...Some famous guy said something like this once;

"I may not agree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it"...

Another famous guy once said "Your right to throw punches ends where my nose begins."

The internet is a good place to sit and safely throw punches - followed by lots of crying and wailing about the "right of free speech".

Bassmatt

28th March 2012, 16:45

Another famous guy once said "Your right to throw punches ends where my nose begins."

The internet is a good place to sit and safely throw punches - followed by lots of crying and wailing about the "right of free speech".

How is physical violence relevant to the discussion?

Virago

28th March 2012, 16:49

How is physical violence relevant to the discussion?

Woooosh...

mashman

28th March 2012, 16:51

The Finn's have still an option to take legal action in any form they choose. If they choose not to ... that is their choice to make. If they don't ... it is not because they can't.

Is it defamation of a country or somefink? I howled with laughter when I read that the Finns could take legal action. Perhaps they'd put him on a diet :laugh:

Brownlee had the good sense to make his 'racist' remarks under parliamentary privilege and therefore can't be sued, arrested or any nor procedure. the speaker or his party can slap his wrist but that's all. Meanwhile the Finns have been having their own fun with it.

heh, there's always an out as a politician eh, although I wonder what legal action the Finns could have taken and who they would have taken it against given Brownlee's "protection".

I don't think it's so easy to "choose not to read it" or "choose not to listen".

I agree with KB comment. Fact is, if I ran the Zoo some people would simply be banned for posting what they do. But regardless of my distaste, I know what KB is and I choose to be here and read threads. I can choose not to read what's here, so it's my problem if I get "offended".

But say you are at the football, in the crowd, and tweets with the hash tag #manvsunited are being copied to the big screen. You can't really avoid what's posted there, and that's a case where I think the onus is on the tweeter to use their brain (or the organisers to just not do it).

(P.S. I still don't know exactly how the offended people actually saw those tweets.)

You can say "choose not to read" or "choose not to post" - but there are places where it's better to "choose not to post" or "choose not to speak".

Slippery slope? There are lots of grey (and not so grey) areas. Censorship is bad? Well, I'm happy that child porn is banned.

Oh I dunno... if you're reading something or listening to something you dislike, you can always walk away. I've seen plenty instances of this and have done it myself a few times.

A Zoo? I'd love to know where you're going with that :blip:. Social media is just that, you'll read the same comments on any forum that you'll hear doon the pub.

I agree that there's a time and a place, but being a insensitive troll/rude/cunt etc... generally knows no bounds these days.

Yahoo news censors their comments section, so I would have thought the footy folk would do the same? Sure you can highlight specific instances/times and places, but where does that end? This was a guy making a comments about a footballer on one of the largest social sites in the world, so where is the line? I know there will be eager beavers itching to draw the line so that they can fill up their prisons, but there needs to be some form of common sense applied? This guy doing time is bang out of line.

Bassmatt

28th March 2012, 16:53

Woooosh...

:laugh: Sticks and stones bro, sticks and stones

jonbuoy

28th March 2012, 17:16

I'm guessing the judge has never been to a football match and heard the language and abuse hurled around. Making an example of him would be ok, fine and publicity is enough, doesn't seem fair to send him to jail for far less than others get away with.

Virago

28th March 2012, 17:22

The concept of the harm caused by online attacks is little understood, and easily dismissed and buried by a frenzied claim of "free speech".

As it happens, we have had an interesting online case here in NZ in the last day or two. Most people will know about the nutter who organised the skateboard festival in Auckland, and will also have seen his thuggery on TV and the interwebs.

One misguided tosser then decided to organise an on-line hate campaign against the guy. Having got his name, he did a bit of googling and came up with a business name and cell-phone number. He set up a Facebook page, calling for others to join in the hatred.

Trouble is, he got it wrong. The result, an innocent couple have had to close their business, and the cell-phone has been given to the police - who are now working their way through all the death threats etc.

And the tosser who started the campaign? No doubt he's hiding under his computer desk, whimpering about "free speech"...

FJRider

28th March 2012, 17:32

Is it defamation of a country or somefink? I howled with laughter when I read that the Finns could take legal action. Perhaps they'd put him on a diet :laugh:

Diplomatic pressure is just as legal as any court action.

I don't believe Brownlie's comments were any more raciest than calling Austrailia a nation of sheep-shaggers ... (not that I would actually say or imply that they are)

Bassmatt

28th March 2012, 17:46

mashman

28th March 2012, 18:29

I'm not racist, I'm a realist.

Judging by some of the videos you've posted, you're a troll or a racist. Each to his own though.

mashman

28th March 2012, 19:07

Slippery slope: High school expels student for tweeting f-word (http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/high-school-expels-student-tweeting-f-word-204216086.html)

"An Indiana high school expels a student for a silly, profane tweet, even though it seems to have been sent at 2:30 a.m."

"Please prepare your best judgmental pose while I transcribe (mostly) his supposedly most offensive tweet: "F*** is one of those F****** words you can F****** put anywhere in a F****** sentence and it still F****** makes sense.""

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 19:09

Judging by some of the videos you've posted, you're a troll or a racist. Each to his own though.

You're entitled to your opinion just as much as I am to mine.

jonbuoy

28th March 2012, 19:13

The crazy thing is, its not even the people involved making the complaint, its the people who have been offended by hearing it. How long before saying "oi you tight Scottish ginger twat put your hand in your pocket and get the drinks in" to a mate in a public place results in someone overhearing it, being "offended" and making a complaint.

mashman

28th March 2012, 19:52

You're entitled to your opinion just as much as I am to mine.

It would seem that yours can land you in jail :msn-wink:

SMOKEU

28th March 2012, 20:07

It would seem that yours can land you in jail :msn-wink:

Yet stealing a bike or breaking into someones house or assaulting someone is apparently OK.

avgas

28th March 2012, 20:08

Nigger comes from the diminutive of the Spanish for black so just thought I would use the Spanish for white :laugh:
Very strange we don't order "Half Blanco" at the paint counter. Considering we have to order "Bianca" rather than honda pink.

mashman

28th March 2012, 20:20

Yet stealing a bike or breaking into someones house or assaulting someone is apparently OK.

and that's only a black thing? Please tell me you had something more obscure in mind... is that all that Jews do too?

short-circuit

28th March 2012, 20:28

Yet stealing a bike or breaking into someones house or assaulting someone is apparently OK.

No. It's illegal. Don't change the subject....and stop "crying"

Your argument about Freedom of Speech is pure bollox. There have long been legal consequences for things like "verbal assault" and "inciting hatred". It now appears that you may not be exempt from consequences in public electronic domains anymore

You aint just in Christchurch now bitch boy

SMOKEU

29th March 2012, 06:24

and that's only a black thing? Please tell me you had something more obscure in mind... is that all that Jews do too?

Plenty of whites are criminals as well. Jews tend to rip people off in a more "legitimate" way instead of petty theft.

No. It's illegal. Don't change the subject....and stop "crying"

Your argument about Freedom of Speech is pure bollox. There have long been legal consequences for things like "verbal assault" and "inciting hatred". It now appears that you may not be exempt from consequences in public electronic domains anymore

You aint just in Christchurch now bitch boy

If you don't like what you see on the internet, then get off the internet. I'm not forcing you to go online, and you have to understand that every time you go online you may read things that you don't like. Get over it. You're the one bitching, not me. I don't care what you think about me.

Regarding your last comment, I'm not anyones bitch. It's your fantasy, not mine.