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Twitter Conviction Over Airport 'Threat' Challenged In High Court

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First Posted: 8/02/2012 07:17 Updated: 8/02/2012 07:24   PA

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A man who was found guilty of sending a menacing "tweet" challenges his conviction at the High Court on Wednesday.

Paul Chambers, 27, has brought judicial review proceedings after his appeal against conviction and sentence was dismissed by a judge at Doncaster Crown Court in October 2010.

Chambers had argued that no-one would ever have taken seriously his threat to blow an airport "sky high".

The message read: "Crap! Robin Hood Airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!'

But, Judge Jacqueline Davies, sitting with two magistrates, said the electronic communication was "clearly menacing" and that airport staff were sufficiently concerned to report it.

She added: "We find it impossible to accept that anyone living in this country, in the current climate of terrorist threats, would not be aware of the consequences of their actions in making such a statement."

Accountant Chambers, who was ordered to pay a £385 fine, claimed he sent the tweet to his 600 "followers" in a moment of frustration after Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire was closed by snow in January 2010.

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A man who was found guilty of sending a menacing "tweet" challenges his conviction at the High Court on Wednesday. Paul Chambers, 27, has brought judicial review proceedings after his appeal agains...
A man who was found guilty of sending a menacing "tweet" challenges his conviction at the High Court on Wednesday. Paul Chambers, 27, has brought judicial review proceedings after his appeal agains...
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AmFry
2 Fans
15:11 on 09/02/2012
It isn't terrorism alone that is an issue. These days people seem far more angry or depressed and often follow through with such seemingly idle threats. It was not a bright thing to say any which way you look at it.
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Saint wright
old chippy
71 Fans
 
13:37 on 08/02/2012
He added: "Abu enjoys fantastic brand recognition among the crucial 18-35 bearded fanatic market and even white van drivers, who normally can't tell Muslims apart, affectionately call him the 'fuzzy- bearded preacher of hate'."

Qatada, who will be released from jail this week, is expected to hit the ground running with a busy schedule of outrages. He said: "It's not about making a big noise, it's about getting better PR for what we already do.

"Four angry Muslims spitting on a poster of Rachel Stevens makes the front page of the Daily Star and gives us the rest of the week to kick back. My guys are also planning to wipe their bottoms on Diamond Jubilee tea-towels, shout 'cock' during the two minutes' silence, and pelt the Olympics with fish.

"We're even going to get down old school and burn copies of The Satanic Verses. it will be an unforgettable summer of hate."

Meanwhile, critics claim Qatada will simply be 'yet another tsar' who will do nothing except get cushy quango jobs for his cronies and justify himself on Newsnight.

Daily Mash
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Saint wright
old chippy
71 Fans
 
13:36 on 08/02/2012
RADICAL Islamic cleric Abu Qatada is to overhaul British Islamo-fascism after being named as the country's first jihad 'tsar'
'It's an exciting challenge'
The bearded preacher, who supports the conversion or murder of all non-Muslims, will be paid £250,000 year to co-ordinate acts of terror, the introduction of Sharia law, the creation of inner-city no-go areas and the annual War on Christmas.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "Jihad is a major industry and one where Britain can lead the world. Without Islamic terror, entire communities of newspaper columnists would be consigned to the economic scrapheap. With vigorous new leadership we can create thousands of angry jobs."

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Norman Mitchison
43 Fans
 
13:24 on 08/02/2012
Our judicial system seems at sixes and sevens. Militant Islamic hatemongers cant be deported, and are let out of prison on bail, Abu Hamza cant be deported to the US because of his Human Rights. Judges appear to live in a land occupied by cuckoos and the Government wont scrap the ECHR. This green and pleasant land is being ruined by the EU.
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chiefofcdf
6 Fans
13:19 on 08/02/2012
Whether the comment was a joke or not,he should never have made it.Airport security is paramount.
But he is guilty of causing concern.Maybe he'll think twice about what he says in the future.
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Phytoresearcher
45 Fans
12:51 on 08/02/2012
It appears that we must begin checking magistrates for the presence of functioning brain cells before being allowed to rule on cases.
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karen1963yorks
88 Fans
11:46 on 08/02/2012
The scary thing is this man has 600 followers? 600 people are dull enough to follow his life?
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vermithrax
15 Fans
10:50 on 08/02/2012
In todays climate its just something you don`t do, even jokingly. Its the same with saying anything abusive, racial or sexual in nature, if one person is offended by what is said even though everyone else might be laughing an offence has been committed and the courts are totally correct at following their guidelines. Anyone stupid enough to say that sort of thing deserves what they get and I hope its upheld at appeal, because in his own words he didn`t think.
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Phytoresearcher
45 Fans
12:52 on 08/02/2012
Lighten up a bit and stop taking yourself so seriously. I doubt that anyone else does.
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fgnfxg
8 Fans
09:48 on 08/02/2012
Seems like a possible step too far by the judiciary here. Yes, we are under threat from terrorists, why? Because of our governments, not the public. Did they find any equipment or paraphenalia relating to making an explosive? If not a caution would have probably been sufficient warning enough for a silly online joke. Instead, the taxpayer is funding a court case. Utter, utter lunacy!
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JRWaddy
19 Fans
11:32 on 08/02/2012
One mans silly online joke is another mans credible terrorist threat.
While you might sympathise with the frustration the reaction & publication to the internet is wholly disproportionate. Silly is one description.
Criminal is another.
You might want to suggest the judiciary have overstepped.... You might see the protection of the public as utter lunacy.
You might think a caution is appropriate for this offence.
Had the Judge said a caution is appropriate I think many, many, many more would call that utter lunacy !
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fgnfxg
8 Fans
12:37 on 08/02/2012
"credible terrorist threat" - Did they actually find any explosives equipment? If there was no real intent behind it, I'd hardly call that credible, would you?

"You might see the protection of the public as utter lunacy." - No actually, I don't. However, putting the guy through an expensive trial at our expense (for a thoughtless comment - hardly the crime of the century!), yet releasing Qatada (a known terrorist). Tell me, where is the protection for the public in that?

"You might think a caution is appropriat­e for this offence." - Again were there actually any explosives involved? I agree it was a stupid thing to do, he should be punished for it, but again, it should be done proportionately.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Phytoresearcher
45 Fans
12:54 on 08/02/2012
With paranoid idiots like you appear to be in our citizenry our rights do not have a chance.
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karen1963yorks
88 Fans
11:45 on 08/02/2012
You may have a point but if it stops a few morons doing this in the future then it is justified.
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