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| Luciana Berger: Blogger accused of 'repulsive anti-Semitic abuse' | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A man subjected an MP to anti-Semitic abuse online, calling her a "rodent" and claiming she was "responsible for the death of Jesus", a court has heard. | A man subjected an MP to anti-Semitic abuse online, calling her a "rodent" and claiming she was "responsible for the death of Jesus", a court has heard. |
| Joshua Bonehill-Payne posted five "hateful and insulting" articles about Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger in 2014 and 2015, the Old Bailey heard. | Joshua Bonehill-Payne posted five "hateful and insulting" articles about Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger in 2014 and 2015, the Old Bailey heard. |
| Ms Berger told the court she had "felt sick" reading the posts and been "incredibly concerned". | Ms Berger told the court she had "felt sick" reading the posts and been "incredibly concerned". |
| The 23-year-old, of Yeovil, Somerset, denies racially aggravated harassment. | The 23-year-old, of Yeovil, Somerset, denies racially aggravated harassment. |
| Prosecutor Philip Stott said Mr Bonehill-Payne had begun targeting Ms Berger after a man was jailed for four weeks in October 2014 for tweeting an offensive picture of the Labour MP. | Prosecutor Philip Stott said Mr Bonehill-Payne had begun targeting Ms Berger after a man was jailed for four weeks in October 2014 for tweeting an offensive picture of the Labour MP. |
| He said the 23-year-old defendant thought that sentence was "wrongful" and began posting the articles six days later. | He said the 23-year-old defendant thought that sentence was "wrongful" and began posting the articles six days later. |
| 'Free speech' | 'Free speech' |
| "Throughout the articles... Ms Berger is referred to as, for example, a rodent, as evil, a money-grabber, a dominatrix and responsible for the death of Jesus," he said. | "Throughout the articles... Ms Berger is referred to as, for example, a rodent, as evil, a money-grabber, a dominatrix and responsible for the death of Jesus," he said. |
| "Repulsive as they may be to you and me, I understand that Mr Bonehill-Paine is not likely to dispute that he made these remarks." | "Repulsive as they may be to you and me, I understand that Mr Bonehill-Paine is not likely to dispute that he made these remarks." |
| Four of the articles were posted on a right-wing blog while a fifth appeared on his own website, and all made anti-Semitic remarks about Jewish people, Jewish Labour MPs and Ms Berger in particular, the court heard. | Four of the articles were posted on a right-wing blog while a fifth appeared on his own website, and all made anti-Semitic remarks about Jewish people, Jewish Labour MPs and Ms Berger in particular, the court heard. |
| One blog claimed the MP was being part of a "new line of Jewish MPs" who were ensuring "that white genocide happens without fail". | One blog claimed the MP was being part of a "new line of Jewish MPs" who were ensuring "that white genocide happens without fail". |
| Mr Stott said the defendant was expected to argue the posts were "reasonable in the circumstances" and within the bounds of "free speech and freedom of political expression". | Mr Stott said the defendant was expected to argue the posts were "reasonable in the circumstances" and within the bounds of "free speech and freedom of political expression". |
| The court also heard Mr Bonehill-Paine had admitted six charges of sending "malicious communications" and one of harassment over other posts on his blog and on Twitter in October 2014 and had been on bail awaiting sentence during the time he allegedly harassed Ms Berger. | The court also heard Mr Bonehill-Paine had admitted six charges of sending "malicious communications" and one of harassment over other posts on his blog and on Twitter in October 2014 and had been on bail awaiting sentence during the time he allegedly harassed Ms Berger. |
| He later received a suspended sentence for those offences. | He later received a suspended sentence for those offences. |
| Giving evidence, Ms Berger said an image of her face superimposed on a rat included in Mr Bonehill-Paine's first post had been "troubling". | Giving evidence, Ms Berger said an image of her face superimposed on a rat included in Mr Bonehill-Paine's first post had been "troubling". |
| "I felt sick, really", she said. "It's attacking me for my faith or religion and not something I have said or done for my constituents." | "I felt sick, really", she said. "It's attacking me for my faith or religion and not something I have said or done for my constituents." |
| The case continues. | The case continues. |