Wife of Tory councillor jailed for inciting hatred online after Southport attacks
The wife of a Tory councillor has been jailed for 31 months after inciting hatred online in the aftermath of the Southport stabbing attacks.
Lucy Connolly is the wife of a West Northamptonshire Conservative councillor and has been jailed after posting hatred on X. Birmingham Crown Court was told Lucy posted a message on July 29, the day of the Southport attacks.
It read: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the f****** hotels full of the bastards for all I care… If that makes me racist, so be it.” She told a WhatsApp user she would “play the mental health card” if she was arrested, the Mirror reports.
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Passing sentence, the Recorder of Birmingham 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.”
The post on X had been viewed 310,000 times which was noted by the judge: “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 said Lucy Connolly, who was calm on the prison video link, had encouraged activity which threatened or endangered life. The 41-year-old former childminder is married to Councillor Raymond Connolly.
On August 5, Lucy Connolly sent a WhatsApp message joking that the tweet had "come back to bite her". Opening the case, prosecutor Naeem Valli said Connolly also sent a message saying she intended to work her notice period as a childminder “on the sly” despite being de-registered. Mr Valli added: “She then goes on to say that if she were to get arrested she would play the mental health card.”
Lucy Connolly has no previous convictions and appeared before the court via a video-link to HMP Peterborough while her husband watched the proceedings from the public gallery. She also sent another post commenting on a sword attack which read: “I bet my house it was one of these boat invaders.” Another X post sent by Lucy Connolly – commenting on a video posted by Tommy Robinson – read “Somalian I guess” and was accompanied by a vomiting emoji.
Tom Muir, defending, said Lucy Connolly had lost a child in horrific circumstances and was separate from other offenders as her post was sent during the heart of the case before violence against asylum seekers started.
Mr Muir said: “The horrendous way in which she lost her son, being turned away from the health service, can only have a drastic detrimental effect on someone. Whatever her intention was in posting the offending tweet, it was short-lived and she didn’t expect the violence that followed, and she quickly tried to quell it.” Raymond Connolly declined to comment on the sentencing as he left Birmingham Crown Court.