Spared jail ‘due to Covid’
Man who made threats to kill cop on Facebook post gets suspended sentence ‘because of coronavirus’
A man who threatened to kill a police officer in a Facebook comment has avoided jail due to coronavirus.
Darren Tyler ,35, of Halid on Road, Sunderland, posted the vile comment on a Facebook post about far right supporter Daniel Allan being sentenced for kicking a police officer during a demonstration in Westminster.
Tyler commented: “This is my mate, lovely lad. F*** the law.
"How can you get that long for kicking a pig. I’m going to kill a pig someday.”
It was seen by former deputy leader of Sunderland City Council, Michael Mordey at around 11.15pm on July 24 as he was scrolling through comments on the post and he reported it to the police.
The post, which was on the Sunderland Echo’s Facebook page, was removed after readers reported it to the tech giant.
The court heard that Tyler has 36 previous convictions and received a 24- month community order on July 14 for a separate offence.
He was handed a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months with magistrates saying that the only reason he wasn’t going to prison was due to COVID-19.
Angus Westgarth, defending said: “He has no recollection of the comment until police brought it up with him.
"He accepts that his behaviour would cause offence and distress and he is ashamed of his remarks.
“He regrets making the comment and it is safe to say that he is sorry.”
The bench, comprising magistrates Christopher Graham and Brian Park inson, said :“We find these events so serious that only a custodial sentence will do.”