Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Racist man who sent vile messages to Priti Patel is jailed

A "nationalist" who sent abusive and racist messages to home secretary Priti Patel and DUP leader Arlene Foster was on Thursday (25) jailed for 22 months.

Gerard Traynor, 53, was arrested in January after he called Patel a "dirty, Indian Ugandan, black P*** n****r" in a post on her Facebook page.


In another post on Patel's page, Traynor said: "Send dirty P*ki back in Asian countries where they belong.

"Muslim women should be banned from wearing burkha and show faces look like wailing banshee. Muslim policemen have beards like suicide bombers."

Manchester Crown Court heard that Traynor, who has "high functioning autism", was brought up by adoptive parents who held "strong nationalist views."

Messages sent to Foster read: "You will be killed and ten DUPP (sic) to the Irish Embassy and kill you all and chop your bodies up and put your head Tower of London."

"Arlene Foster you worse [than] Ian Paisley and all your loyalties (sic) politicians should be shot in heads."

Both politicians said they felt intimidated by Traynor's messages.

In a statement to police Patel said: "I converse with the public on a daily basis this can provoke debate and I am faced with criticism.

"This incident has taken acceptable behaviour to serious criminality, the content was shocking and disgusting in its nature and the messages were racist, grossly offensive, hugely upsetting and caused me to feel intimidated.

"It had a huge impact on both my personal and professional life, I am a lot more wary of my surroundings when I am in public."

Foster said Traynor's messages overstep the mark of free speech.

Traynor has a history of sending abusive and racist communications stretching back to 2004.

Sentencing, Justice Bryan told Traynor: "This was not the exercise of the democratic right to free speech or the type of critical commentary that all politicians face on a day-to-day basis.

"On the contrary, the messages are deeply offensive and threatening."

More For You

 7/7 bombings

The King said the public should draw on the 'extraordinary courage and compassion' shown in response to the attacks. (Photo credit: X/@RoyalFamily)

Starmer and King Charles pay tribute on 20th anniversary of 7/7 bombings

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer and King Charles on Monday paid tribute to the unity shown in the aftermath of the 7 July bombings in London, as the country marked 20 years since the attacks.

On 7 July 2005, four Islamist extremists carried out suicide bombings at Aldgate Station, Edgware Road, King's Cross and Tavistock Square. The attacks killed 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lepra

'The 100 Club offers a powerful way to support and scale-up this work,' said the organisers.

Lepra launches 100 Club to support community-based leprosy detection

LEPRA launched its first high-value giving network, the 100 Club, on June 26. The event was held at Quilon Restaurant in London and brought together philanthropists, business leaders and supporters of the charity’s work.

The event was hosted by Kalpesh Solanki, Group Managing Editor of Asian Media Group and President of the 100 Club. Remarks were delivered by Lepra’s Chair of Trustees Suzanne McCarthy and CEO Jimmy Innes, who spoke about the organisation’s ASPIRE project.

Keep ReadingShow less
family-centre-iStock

Currently, one in four families with children under five do not have access to local children’s centres or Family Hubs. (Representational image: iStock)

£500 million plan to expand family services across England

THE UK government has announced the nationwide rollout of Best Start Family Hubs across every local authority, aiming to support 500,000 more children by 2028.

The hubs are intended to offer easier access to family services and reduce pressure on parents.

Keep ReadingShow less
Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

TWO brothers accused of assaulting a man inside a Starbucks and later attacking police officers at Manchester Airport are standing trial, with the prosecution arguing they used "unlawful and extreme violence".

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his older brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, are said to have acted aggressively on July 23 last year while at the airport to pick up their mother, who had arrived on a flight from Qatar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less