One of Britain’s most infamous internet trolls, known online as Old Holborn, has been unmasked as former recruitment consultant Robert Ambridge, living in a millionaire’s village in Essex. He has sparked outrage by joking about the Hillsborough disaster and the murder of James Bulger, as well as making homophobic remarks about a Liverpool councillor.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday ECHO, Ambridge defended his actions as a price worth paying for free speech. He said: “Naturally, those who don’t share my views or choose to take offence can find ample succour in the simple retort of ‘vile troll’ – water off a duck’s back to me. Twitter is possibly the greatest tool that free speech has ever possessed.”
Ambridge is currently being investigated by Essex Police over tweets sent to Wavertree councillor Jake Morrison, who accused the troll of calling him a paedophile. Morrison said: “Old Holborn has quite clearly crossed a line – you can’t just make any accusation about anyone and say that’s free speech.” He plans to lobby the government for tougher action against online trolls.
Despite being banned from Twitter multiple times, Ambridge continues to create new accounts. An Essex Police spokesman confirmed they are investigating the homophobic tweets. The case has reignited debate about the limits of free speech online.
