Judge jails man who shared pics of brother in the dock
TAKING photos in court as those charged in connection with the death of teenager Gordon Gault appeared in the dock has landed the brother of one of the defendants in jail.
Kane Thompson posted images he snapped at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday on Facebook and Instagram, with emojis. and “silly” captions. But he was brought into the same dock himself yesterday after the pictures were seen on social media.
Thompson, 24, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to two contempt of court charges and was jailed for six months.
The court heard how Thompson had been in the public gallery in the courtroom on Monday as the trial of six people charged with violent disorder in connection with Gordon’s death, got under way.
One of the defendants was his brother Liam Thompson, 28.
Judge Edward Bindloss said he became aware of photographs taken in the courtroom that showed defendants, Liam Thompson and Jack Hardy, in the dock, along with a dock officer.
The judge arranged for Thompson to be arrested on Tuesday and an investigation was carried out overnight. He admitted taking the photos and distributing them by uploading them to social media.
In sentencing Thompson, who the court heard had a previous conviction for witness intimidation, to six months behind bars Judge Bindloss said: “This is a sensitive and serious case. They were on trial for violent disorder in which a young man was killed.
“You knew taking photos was not permitted, you knew your brother was on trial. You were reckless as to whether this trial would be disrupted. Liam in one of your photos was seen to be posing for you. There are emojis and the caption ‘Slim Jim’.
“The photos are no longer on your Instagram or Facebook to view, but any screen-shotted copies could still be distributed to numbers unknown.
“It’s not known how far they have been disseminated.”
The judge added that court dock officers are entitled to anonymity while at work, but the pictures Thompson posted clearly showed the face of one.
In mitigation, Mairi Clancy explained that the images had been posted to Thompson’s Instagram stories so would have only been visible for 24 hours, and he deleted them when he realised what he had done wrong.
And she said his actions were the result of “stupidity” and he had not intended to cause any harm. “His position is he panicked on realising the seriousness of what he had done,” she said.
“This was an extremely stupid and idiotic thing for him to do, but nothing more sinister than stupidity and naivety.
“It’s not accepted there was any intention to intimidate or interfere.
“He’s a habitual poster on social media and acted incredibly stupidly.
“He offers his apology for what he had done. He deleted the post as soon as he realised the severity of what he had done.
“Belonging to a generation where every day life is posted constantly on social media, he has not come to court with the aim of disrupting proceedings. or prejudice the trial.
“The focus of the photos are his brother in the dock. They were lighthearted. He’s posted some quite silly captions and an emoji with sunglasses.”
Thompson smiled as he was led out of the dock to begin his prison sentence.
Gordon, 14, died in hospital six days after he was stabbed with a machete in the Elswick area of Newcastle, in November 2022.
The schoolboy was killed in a “revenge” stabbing during what was described in court as a “tit-for-tat feud” between two groups in the West End of the city. The weapon sliced through his arm, causing him to bleed so heavily he suffered severe brain damage.
Last month, six teenagers were cleared of Gordon’s murder following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.
But Carlos Neto, 18, who delivered the fatal blow, and Lawson Natty, 18, were found guilty of manslaughter.
Four others – Benedict Mbala, 18, Daniel Lacerda, 18, a 17-year-old and a 16-year-old – were found not guilty of murder.
On Tuesday, six more defendants appeared at the court charged with violent disorder on November 9, 2022. A charge of affray, which was accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service was put to all six of them.
Raymond Matthew, 18, of Durham Street, Elswick, Liam Thompson, 28, of no fixed abode, and three 17-yearold youths, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to the charge of affray.
Yesterday Jack Hardy, 18, of Quarry Bank Court in Elswick also admitted the offence.
Thompson was remanded in custody, while the other five were granted bail until their sentencing hearing next month.
Neto, 18, of Manchester Road East, Little Hulton, and Natty, of Eastgarth, in Newbiggin Hall, Newcastle, were also found guilty of unlawful wounding. They will be sentenced next week.
This is a sensitive and serious case. They were on trial for violent disorder in which a young man was killed Judge Edward Bindloss