Twisted troll targeted the deceased in a hate-filled series of sick attacks
A TWISTED internet troll targeted tragic Durham University student Olivia Burt in a sick online offensive.
Olivia suffered fatal head injuries outside Durham’s Missoula nightclub on February 8 aged 20.
And just two months after her death, “sick” troll Paul Hind posted grossly offensive messages on a Facebook page started in her memory.
The 38-year-old created fake accounts named “Oliver” and “Olva” Burt, and also doctored a picture of a dead woman and posted images of terminally-ill children on her page.
Hind admitted four offences of conveying false information which was indecent or grossly offensive relating to four young dead adults at Bedlington Magistrates’ Court yesterday.
Following the hearing, Olivia’s parents Nigel and Paula, from Hampshire, praised the conviction and said the trolling was a “desecration”
Nigel said: “It has made us both feel physically sick and caused us huge suffering. Her death is still very recent and causing us tremendous heartache as we struggle to come to terms with our loss.
“The person who carried out the trolling can only be described as a sick sadist who knows that they are adding to our anguish and gets enjoyment from this.
“The trolling of our wonderful daughter Olivia is a desecration of her memory and character.”
He added: “The causes of the appalling event that resulted in the horrific death of Olivia being crushed under a metal barrier while she queued outside Missoula nightclub in Durham are still under investigation.
“We await the conclusion of the investigation and for those responsible for Olivia’s death to be held accountable.”
Olivia’s family also launched a scathing attack on Facebook, branding their response to the trolling as hopeless.
Nigel added: “We’d also like to say our dealings with Facebook have compounded our misery. They only tackle each
individual issue and not the overall trolling.” Hind, of Westacres, Wark near Hexham, also admitted trolling three more families on social media who had recently suffered a loss. The former kitchen assistant took to Twitter to post indecent messages about Hannah Witheridge who was killed on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014 aged 23. Three days after targeting Olivia’s Facebook page, Hind used the same social media site to send offensive posts about 19-year-old Duncan Simm, whose remains were found at West Sands in St Andrews earlier this year. Hind finished his sadistic campaign of trolling about Joe Tilley, a 24-yearold found dead at the bottom of a waterfall in Colombia in May. The court heard on at least one occasion, Hind also made offensive prank calls to grieving families. Hind was bailed ahead of his next court appearance at Newcastle Crown Court for sentencing on September 27, and was barred from using social media until that date. Addressing him, District Judge Kate Meek said: “It’s difficult to hear cases of this nature and difficult to hear what’s happened to four families who are suffering from the unbearable loss of their children. “You imposed upon them an immeasurable distress to their unimaginable pain. “It appears you did so because that’s how you sought attention.”
We’d also like to say our dealings with Facebook have compounded our misery Dad Nigel Burt