Wife of Tory councillor jailed for 31 months over social media post stirring up racial hatred

The wife of a Conservative councillor has been jailed for 31 months after pleading guilty to publishing written material to stir up racial hatred after the Southport stabbings.

Childminder Lucy Connolly published a post on her X account, which she later deleted, that called for "mass deportation now", and for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set fire to, adding: "If that makes me racist, so be it."

Her comments were viewed 310,000 times and were reposted by 940 other X users.

She wrote the post on the day three young girls were killed in a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on 29 July.

False information claiming the perpetrator was a Muslim asylum seeker spread online and led to riots and unrest in cities and towns across the UK.

The 41-year-old, from Northampton, later apologised for acting on "false and malicious" information.

Connolly, who is married to the West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday after pleading guilty to publishing written material to stir up racial hatred.

Cllr Connolly declined to comment as he left the court. He said during an earlier hearing that the post was completely out of character for his wife.

Sentencing Connolly, Judge Melbourne Inman KC said of the Southport stabbings: "Some people used that tragedy as an opportunity to sow division and hatred, often using social media, leading to a number of towns and cities being disfigured."

He added: "When you published those words you were well aware how volatile the situation was.

"That volatility led to serious disorder where mindless violence was used."

The judge added that she had encouraged activity which threatened or endangered life.

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