So a week or two back in Greater Manchester, two police officers were called out by a fraudulent 999 call and shot dead. Following this horrific incident, on the same day, one Barry Thew was sentenced to eight months in jail for wearing a t-shirt on which was written "One less pig; perfect justice" as well as "Killacopforfun.com ha ha". Here's what it said in the newspaper since I don't have an online source right now:
So, PC, what do you make of this? Is his sentence fair or is it a horrible violation of free speech? This is a sort of news-debate thing so I'll change the prefix if appropriate later.
Fire away!
Metro Newspaper said:His sentence was welcomed by police - but civil liberties campaigners said that, although Thew might have been unpleasant, he was treated harshly.
Human rights officer Peter Tachell told Metro: 'Causing offence is not a legitimate reason to jail anyone. The price of free speech is that we some-times have to put up with views we find offensive.'
[...] He was jailed for four months for a public order offence; another four months was added because he breached a previous suspended sentence.
Judge Peter Lakin told Thew, who has dozens of previous convictions: 'Your mindless behaviour has added to the pain of everyone touched by the death of these young officers.'
[...] Nick Pickels, from Big Brother Watch, said: 'The idea you should spend several months in prison for writing something on a T-shirt - when shoplifters, burglars and other offenders serve far less - is absurd."
So, PC, what do you make of this? Is his sentence fair or is it a horrible violation of free speech? This is a sort of news-debate thing so I'll change the prefix if appropriate later.
Fire away!