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Joshua Bonehill-Paine jailed for two years over racial abuse of Luciana Berger
Mr Justice Spencer told the 24-year-old defendant that he had "amassed a formidable record of hate crime"
December 8, 2016 15:49
Mr Justice Spencer told the 24-year-old defendant that he had "amassed a formidable record of hate crime"
December 8, 2016 15:49Joshua Bonehill-Paine, the far-right internet troll, has been jailed for two years for targeting Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger with antisemitic abuse.
Sentencing at the Old Bailey today, Mr Justice Spencer told the 24-year-old defendant that he had "amassed a formidable record of hate crime".
He said Bonehill-Paine had carried out a "cruel campaign of vile racist abuse" against the Liverpool Wavertree MP,
On Wednesday, Bonehill-Paine, of Yeovil, Somerset, was convicted of racially aggravated harassment. The Old Bailey jury took just 75 minutes to reach a guilty verdict.
He had posted five "hateful and insulting" articles about Ms Berger, branding her "a rodent" and "evil".
Bonehill-Paine was already serving a three-year, four-month sentence for inciting racial hatred against Jews.
Mr Justice Spencer took into account that he was due for release on April 28, 2017 but said a consecutive sentence was ‘fully justified’.
He also imposed a criminal behaviour order which carries a penalty of up to five years in jail to curb his online activities.
DC Claire Starr, the investigating officer from the Public Order and Resources Command, said: "No-one should put up with harassment and racial abuse and I would urge any victims of such crime to report them to police.
"Bonehill-Paine is a prolific offender who uses the internet to target innocent people and destroy lives and I am pleased that today he has received a further two-year jail term to add to the sentence he is currently serving."