Lucy Connolly, a childminder who posted a racist tweet about England footballer Bukayo Saka, has been sentenced to 31 months in prison. The tweet, which was widely condemned, led to her losing her job and facing legal action.
Connolly pleaded guilty to inciting racial hatred under the Public Order Act 1986. The court found that her tweet was threatening and abusive, and intended to stir up racial hatred. The judge noted the tweet was posted during a sensitive time and was viewed over 310,000 times before being deleted.
In sentencing, the judge considered the high culpability and harm caused, categorising the offence as category 1A. The starting point for such an offence is three years, but Connolly received a reduced sentence due to her early guilty plea and other mitigating factors, including no previous convictions and expressions of regret.
Connolly's appeal against the sentence was refused by three judges, who found no arguable basis that the sentence was manifestly excessive. The court upheld the original sentence, emphasising the seriousness of inciting racial hatred online.
