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| Pair jailed for web race crimes | |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Two men have been jailed after becoming the first in the UK to be convicted of inciting racial hatred online. | Two men have been jailed after becoming the first in the UK to be convicted of inciting racial hatred online. |
| Simon Sheppard, 51, of Selby in North Yorkshire, received four years and 10 months, and Stephen Whittle, 42, of Preston, two years and four months. | Simon Sheppard, 51, of Selby in North Yorkshire, received four years and 10 months, and Stephen Whittle, 42, of Preston, two years and four months. |
| The men printed leaflets and controlled websites featuring racist material. | The men printed leaflets and controlled websites featuring racist material. |
| They fled to the US after being convicted of race-hate offences at a trial at Leeds Crown Court last year, but failed in an asylum bid. | They fled to the US after being convicted of race-hate offences at a trial at Leeds Crown Court last year, but failed in an asylum bid. |
| Sheppard, of Brook Street, Selby, was found guilty of 11 offences and Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, was found guilty of five offences at a trial in July last year. | Sheppard, of Brook Street, Selby, was found guilty of 11 offences and Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, was found guilty of five offences at a trial in July last year. |
| Sheppard was convicted of a further five charges in January 2009. | Sheppard was convicted of a further five charges in January 2009. |
| Such offences as these have, by their very nature, the potential to cause grave social harm Judge Rodney Grant The neo-Nazi asylum seekers | Such offences as these have, by their very nature, the potential to cause grave social harm Judge Rodney Grant The neo-Nazi asylum seekers |
| However, before the jury in the first trial could return verdicts, both men fled to Los Angeles International airport and attempted to claim political asylum. | However, before the jury in the first trial could return verdicts, both men fled to Los Angeles International airport and attempted to claim political asylum. |
| Their bid was thrown out by a US immigration judge. | Their bid was thrown out by a US immigration judge. |
| The men were charged with publishing and distributing racially inflammatory material, and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution. | The men were charged with publishing and distributing racially inflammatory material, and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution. |
| Leeds Crown Court was told that Whittle wrote offensive articles which were then published on the internet by Sheppard. | Leeds Crown Court was told that Whittle wrote offensive articles which were then published on the internet by Sheppard. |
| The published material included images of murdered Jews alongside cartoons and articles ridiculing ethnic groups. | The published material included images of murdered Jews alongside cartoons and articles ridiculing ethnic groups. |
| Judge Rodney Grant told the men their material was "abusive and insulting" and had the potential to cause "grave social harm". | Judge Rodney Grant told the men their material was "abusive and insulting" and had the potential to cause "grave social harm". |
| He added: "Such offences as these have, by their very nature, the potential to cause grave social harm, particularly in a society such as ours which has, for a number of years now, been multi-racial. | He added: "Such offences as these have, by their very nature, the potential to cause grave social harm, particularly in a society such as ours which has, for a number of years now, been multi-racial. |
| "These are serious offences. I can say without any hesitation that I have rarely seen, or had to read or consider, material which is so abusive and insulting... towards racial groups within our own society." |