Riots: Facebook Shop Threat Teen Spared Court

A 19-year-old has described police as "sound" for not charging him after he posted a message on Facebook urging people to damage his local Spar store.

Joshua Moulinie was arrested for inciting violence, but will not have to face court - instead being told to write a letter of apology to the shop's owner.

Police were contacted after a status update from Mr Moulinie apparently targeted the store in his local town of Bream, Gloucestershire.

He has since described the incident as "pretty funny".

The offending status message has now been removed, but Mr Moulinie followed it up on August 11 with: "Got arrested earlier for my previous joke about rioting down Spar. So in future, try not to take me so seriously."

After the police's decision, Mr Moulinie took to Facebook to voice his bemusement at the events.

Commenting on a police press release published within a Facebook page, he wrote: "It was a very, very blatant joke, I'm not sorry at all for it.

"I'm sorry for the reaction it caused, but not for the action. Also can I make it very clear I never intended to riot?

"The police are sound. I have no problems whatsoever with them, they didn't even charge me."

He has since "liked" Gloucestershire Constabulary.

It stands in stark contrast to the four-year prison sentences given to two men who incited violence on Facebook.

Jordan Blackshaw, of Northwich, Cheshire, had created a Facebook event, entitled "Smash Down Northwich Town".

Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, of Warrington, also set up a Facebook page, encouraging disorder in his suburb of his home town called "Let's Have a Riot in Latchford".

Mr Moulinie has put his message down to a "warped" sense of humour.

Sergeant Richard Pitman, of Gloucestershire Police, said a report of the message had been received on August 10

"Once the initial message was posted on Facebook, there were responses posted from people saying they would go along with the suggestion to damage the shop," he said.

"Naturally when this was brought to the shop owner's attention by another member of the public he was concerned and contacted us.

"We identified the person responsible for starting the comments and went to his address and arrested him for inciting violence.

"After taking him to Coleford police station we decided to deal with him by way of a Community Orientated Policing outcome, which was for him to write a letter of apology to the shop owner and remove the posting.

"We feel it was a very foolish thing for him to do, and it was very worrying for the victim, particularly in light of events seen nationally earlier this week."