Jordan Parlour has been sentenced to 20 months in jail for encouraging violence against hotels housing asylum seekers and refugees in the UK. This marks the first jail term given for using social media to incite disorder in the recent unrest.
Parlour, who is believed to be the first person imprisoned for posts related to the nationwide riots, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to publishing material intended to stir racial hatred. The unrest followed online posts that falsely accused a man of being the killer of three young girls in a knife attack in Southport, which led to public outrage.
During the trial, Parlour’s mother submitted a letter to the court, stating, “We can only speculate that he has been caught up and swept away by emotions circulating around the country.” Despite this, the court decided that his posts, which urged others to target hotels housing asylum seekers, were dangerous and contributed to rising tensions.
Shortly after Parlour’s sentencing, Tyler Kay was also jailed for similar posts calling for the destruction of hotels housing asylum seekers. Both cases highlight the increasing scrutiny of social media’s role in stirring violence and disorder in the UK.
These convictions signal a clear message that those who use social media to spread hate and incite violence will face serious legal consequences.
