Man with mental health issues given four months for “offensive” T-shirt
Article published: Thursday, October 11th 2012
A Bury man who claims a history of disputes with Greater Manchester Police has been jailed for four months for wearing a T-shirt overwritten with offensive comments hours after the deaths of two officers.
Barry Thew
Barry Thew, a 39 year-old man from Radcliffe, wore a t-shirt marked with the words “One Less PiG Perfect Justice” and “Kill A COP 4 Fun.co.uk Ha, haaa?” hours after PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes were shot dead in a gun and grenade attack in Hyde on 8 September.
Update: Barry Thew claims a history of repeated harassment from Greater Manchester Police since his son died in custody three years ago
The court heard how Thew, of Wolsey Street, was arrested following complaints from members of the public and charged with a section 4a public order offence – displaying writing or other visible representation with intention of causing harassment, alarm or distress.
He pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing on 18 September and was sentenced to four months in prison earlier today. Thew was also given an additional four months on top of the original sentence for breaching a suspended sentence for involvement with cannabis production.
Stop and search
Stuart Duke, defending, said Thew claimed a history of harrassment from Greater Manchester Police since the death of his son three years ago and had been subjected to repeated acts of stop and search.
According to the Manchester Evening News Duke said, “The wearing of this T-shirt was not in response to the deaths of the two police officers but it was another case.
“It is an on-going dispute between Mr Thew and Greater Manchester Police. He feels victimised and picked on.
“He did not go home when he heard the news. He was already wearing the T-shirt. He accepts that he is guilty by reason of his plea.”
Duke added that Thew had been an inpatient at a mental health unit and is still undergoing treatment with anti-psychotic medicine. When sentencing him Judge Peter Lakin said his mental health was “not a factor”.
The judge said, “This, on any view, is a shocking case. Your response to the shocking events was to parade around in a T-shirt in the centre of Radcliffe which had on it the most disgusting of slogans. In my judgment, it is utterly depressing that you felt able to stoop so low as to behave in that way.
“Your mindless behaviour has added to the pain of everyone touched by the deaths of these young officers. You have shown no remorse.”
Judge Lakin added, “It is aggravated by the fact that at the time you were made the subject of a suspended sentence. You are a man with a lengthy antecedent record. Whatever thoughts you may have about the police, or whatever personal animosity, gave you no excuse to behave in the way that you did.
“I hope that this sentence gives you time to reflect on the appalling way in which you behaved.”
The sentencing comes after a slew of similar cases where people have been convicted for “offensive” communications.
On 9 October Yorkshire man Azar Ahmed, 19, was fined £400 and ordered to complete 240 hours of community service over a two year period for a Facebook post saying “All soldiers should DIE & go to HELL!”. Elsewhere Matthew Woods, an unemployed 20-year old from Lancashire, was jailed the day earlier on 8 October for 12 weeks for writing derogatory jokes on Facebook about the missing schoolgirl April Jones.
Recently another man, 28-year old accountant Paul Chambers, was acquitted of causing alarm and distress by quipping on twitter that he would blow Robin Hood airport “sky high” in a high-profile case dubbed “the Twitter joke trial”.
Richard Goulding
Comments
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Doesn’t this sentencing tell us something about the nature of our society and differential and deferential treatment that different people appear to receive?
I don’t condone tasteless behaviour- his tee shirt with its messages would have been offensive to me at any time; but is this really the best way forward- or is it an example of the great divide that seems to be developing in our society?
Comment by Andy Whistler on October 11, 2012 at 11:33 pm -
Can I just make one thing clear barry thew is the sperm donor to 2 of my children he had no contact with them for 10 yrs due to his violence towards me and them. My son did NOT die in police custody he sadly died in my home. He is using my sons death as an excuse for his vile t shirt showing no respect for my son nor the police officers that tragically passed away. 8 months wasnt long enough. Yes freedom of speech and all that but using a childs death as an excuse for his evil doings deserves life inside.
Comment by joanne mison on January 23, 2014 at 11:19 am
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