Sean Duffy, a 25-year-old unemployed man from Reading, has been sentenced to 18 weeks in prison for posting malicious videos and messages mocking the deaths of teenagers on social media. He targeted tribute pages on Facebook and uploaded offensive content to YouTube, causing distress to grieving families.
Among his victims was Natasha MacBryde, 15, who died after being hit by a train near her home in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. The day after her death in February, Duffy posted comments such as 'I fell asleep on the track lolz' on a Facebook tribute page created by her brother. He later created a YouTube video titled 'Tasha the Tank Engine', superimposing her face onto the front of the fictional engine.
Duffy pleaded guilty to two counts of sending malicious communications relating to Natasha and asked for three other cases of Facebook trolling to be considered. His other victims included Hayley Bates, 16, who died in a car crash; Lauren Drew, 14, who died from an epilepsy attack; and Jordan Cooper, 14, who was stabbed to death. Duffy defaced pictures, created offensive groups, and posted upsetting images and videos.
Chair of the bench Paul Warren stated: 'You have caused untold distress to already grieving friends and family. The offences are so serious only a custodial sentence could be justified.' Duffy was also given a five-year antisocial behaviour order banning him from using social networking sites and requiring him to inform police of any internet-capable phone he acquires.
The court heard that Duffy has Asperger's syndrome and lived a 'miserable existence' drinking alone. His lawyer noted there was no mitigation, as the offences were 'horrible and despicable'. Natasha's father Andrew MacBryde commented: 'He is a disturbed individual who caused the maximum of grief for his own satisfaction. I hope his sentencing shows other trollers that they are not anonymous.'
