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| Facebook troll jailed over threat to kill US schoolchildren | Facebook troll jailed over threat to kill US schoolchildren |
| (2 months later) | |
| A British man whose grossly offensive Facebook postings included threats to kill 200 US children has been jailed for more than two years after a judge heard how he spread terror in schools. | A British man whose grossly offensive Facebook postings included threats to kill 200 US children has been jailed for more than two years after a judge heard how he spread terror in schools. |
| Reece Elliott, 24, left abusive comments on tribute pages set up for two teenagers who died in car accidents, and when challenged, he sent more nasty messages directly to pupils living in Warren County, Tennessee, in February. | Reece Elliott, 24, left abusive comments on tribute pages set up for two teenagers who died in car accidents, and when challenged, he sent more nasty messages directly to pupils living in Warren County, Tennessee, in February. |
| After a deputy sheriff contacted him to say he would shut the page down, curly-haired Elliott sparked a security crackdown at local schools by threatening to shoot 200 children. | After a deputy sheriff contacted him to say he would shut the page down, curly-haired Elliott sparked a security crackdown at local schools by threatening to shoot 200 children. |
| With sensitivities heightened in the US following the Newtown shooting which saw 20 children and six adults killed in an elementary school, hundreds saw Elliott's message and almost 3,000 pupils missed classes the next day, Newcastle Crown Court heard. | With sensitivities heightened in the US following the Newtown shooting which saw 20 children and six adults killed in an elementary school, hundreds saw Elliott's message and almost 3,000 pupils missed classes the next day, Newcastle Crown Court heard. |
| Tennessee police began investigating, along with the FBI and Homeland Security. | Tennessee police began investigating, along with the FBI and Homeland Security. |
| Elliott, from South Shields, South Tyneside, contacted his solicitor and walked into his local police station to admit what he had done when he realised the outcry he had caused. | Elliott, from South Shields, South Tyneside, contacted his solicitor and walked into his local police station to admit what he had done when he realised the outcry he had caused. |
| At a previous hearing he admitted one count of making threats to kill and eight Communications Act offences. | At a previous hearing he admitted one count of making threats to kill and eight Communications Act offences. |
| Bridie Smurthwaite, prosecuting, said Elliott left "grossly offensive" messages to two tribute sites. | Bridie Smurthwaite, prosecuting, said Elliott left "grossly offensive" messages to two tribute sites. |
| On one for a teenage girl killed by a drink driver, he wrote: "Fucking fat cunt deserves to die." | On one for a teenage girl killed by a drink driver, he wrote: "Fucking fat cunt deserves to die." |
| And on another for a teenager who died in a car crash, he said: "Hip, hip, horray, he is dead motherfucker. Huge brain injuries. Stupid motherfucker bitch. I hope you rot in hell." | And on another for a teenager who died in a car crash, he said: "Hip, hip, horray, he is dead motherfucker. Huge brain injuries. Stupid motherfucker bitch. I hope you rot in hell." |
| When Elliott's fake Facebook profile received a friend request from a local deputy sheriff, the officer was branded a "paedo". | When Elliott's fake Facebook profile received a friend request from a local deputy sheriff, the officer was branded a "paedo". |
| After the lawman said he would shut down Elliott's page, the father-of-one went online again, with severe consequences for him. | After the lawman said he would shut down Elliott's page, the father-of-one went online again, with severe consequences for him. |
| He wrote on the teenage girl's tribute page: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting his body in the dumpster. | He wrote on the teenage girl's tribute page: "My father has three guns. I'm planning on killing him first and putting his body in the dumpster. |
| "Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast. | "Then I'm taking the motor and I'm going in fast. |
| "I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself. So you want to tell the deputy, I'm on my way." | "I'm gonna kill hopefully at least 200 before I kill myself. So you want to tell the deputy, I'm on my way." |
| Because it was posted on the site's public wall, many hundreds of people probably saw it, the court heard. | Because it was posted on the site's public wall, many hundreds of people probably saw it, the court heard. |
| School officials were swamped with calls and texts from concerned staff, parents and pupils so security was stepped up, with only restricted access to sites. | School officials were swamped with calls and texts from concerned staff, parents and pupils so security was stepped up, with only restricted access to sites. |
| Nevertheless, 2,908 out of 6,654 pupils, or 44% of the register, missed classes at schools in the county the next day. | Nevertheless, 2,908 out of 6,654 pupils, or 44% of the register, missed classes at schools in the county the next day. |
| One girl, now 16 and whose identity cannot be reported, received a private message from Elliott which said: "You have been chosen tomorrow at school to receive one of my bullets." | One girl, now 16 and whose identity cannot be reported, received a private message from Elliott which said: "You have been chosen tomorrow at school to receive one of my bullets." |
| She replied: "Screw off dude." | She replied: "Screw off dude." |
| Elliott said: "The doctors will have to unscrew the bullet from your skull bitch." | Elliott said: "The doctors will have to unscrew the bullet from your skull bitch." |
| The girl then offered to pray for her abuser, saying: "Wow, you need serious help." | The girl then offered to pray for her abuser, saying: "Wow, you need serious help." |
| She told police afterwards: "I think it should be taken very seriously, even though he was miles and miles away in another country, I was still scared and I didn't want to come to school even after they caught him." | She told police afterwards: "I think it should be taken very seriously, even though he was miles and miles away in another country, I was still scared and I didn't want to come to school even after they caught him." |
| After his arrest, Elliott said he was an internet troll, the purpose of which was to provoke arguments and reaction. | After his arrest, Elliott said he was an internet troll, the purpose of which was to provoke arguments and reaction. |
| Miss Smurthwaite said he told officers "it was a massive mistake". | Miss Smurthwaite said he told officers "it was a massive mistake". |
| Elliott has 17 convictions for 28 offences, including at the age of 16 an attempted robbery on a bookmakers when he was armed with an axe, and a racially aggravated public order offence in a pizza shop. | Elliott has 17 convictions for 28 offences, including at the age of 16 an attempted robbery on a bookmakers when he was armed with an axe, and a racially aggravated public order offence in a pizza shop. |
| John Wilkinson, defending said Elliott was described by a psychiatrist as emotionally immature and impulsive. | John Wilkinson, defending said Elliott was described by a psychiatrist as emotionally immature and impulsive. |
| "As he says himself 'It's time I finally grew up and started to act like an adult'," Wilkinson told the court. | "As he says himself 'It's time I finally grew up and started to act like an adult'," Wilkinson told the court. |
| Wilkinson said Elliott could not explain his behaviour, which the defendant said was "idiotic, childish and pathetic". | Wilkinson said Elliott could not explain his behaviour, which the defendant said was "idiotic, childish and pathetic". |
| Elliott bowed his head and wept as Judge James Goss QC, the Recorder of Newcastle, passed a two years and four month sentence. | Elliott bowed his head and wept as Judge James Goss QC, the Recorder of Newcastle, passed a two years and four month sentence. |
| He told Elliott: "During the first week in February this year, with what seems to be no more than self-indulgent nastiness, you posted a series of grossly offensive comments on Facebook." | He told Elliott: "During the first week in February this year, with what seems to be no more than self-indulgent nastiness, you posted a series of grossly offensive comments on Facebook." |
| Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Ged Noble, who led the investigation, said officers were about to arrest Elliott when he walked into the police station. | Outside court, Detective Chief Inspector Ged Noble, who led the investigation, said officers were about to arrest Elliott when he walked into the police station. |
| The FBI contacted colleagues in England after discovering that the threats were coming from the North East. | The FBI contacted colleagues in England after discovering that the threats were coming from the North East. |
| He said: "Police officers were about to go to the identified address when we were notified by a local solicitor that Reece Elliott wanted to hand himself in." | He said: "Police officers were about to go to the identified address when we were notified by a local solicitor that Reece Elliott wanted to hand himself in." |
| Noble continued: "Investigating reports of criminal behaviour on social network sites has its challenges but we have staff who are trained in navigating these systems and identifying who the offenders are. | Noble continued: "Investigating reports of criminal behaviour on social network sites has its challenges but we have staff who are trained in navigating these systems and identifying who the offenders are. |
| "New guidelines on dealing with people who post offensive messages using social media have been released by the Director of Public Prosecutions and we will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to take action against those who cross the line from their right to free speech to committing criminal offences." | "New guidelines on dealing with people who post offensive messages using social media have been released by the Director of Public Prosecutions and we will continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service to take action against those who cross the line from their right to free speech to committing criminal offences." |
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