Introduction
Matthew Doyle, a tweeter from Croydon, made it in to the newspapers on 23rd March 2016 due to tweets that he had allegedly sent in the wake of the Belgium terrorist attacks.
In the early hours of 25th March, the Metropolitan Police announced that a Matthew Doyle had been charged with “publishing or distributing written material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, likely or intended to stir up racial hatred.”
He will appear in Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court on Saturday 26th March.
What’s the offence?
It is under s19 Public Order Act 1986 and makes it an offence to :
- publish or distribute any written material, which is
- threatening, abusive or insulting, if you are
- intending to stir up racial hatred, or if in the circumstances racial hatred is likely to be stirred up.
The offence is an either way one, with a maximum penalty in the Crown Court of 7 years imprisonment.
As there are proceeding underway, we won’t be saying much more about it at this stage.