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| Lucy Connolly released from prison after race hate post on X | Lucy Connolly released from prison after race hate post on X |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Lucy Connolly's online post in the wake of the Southport killings led her to a 31-month jail term | Lucy Connolly's online post in the wake of the Southport killings led her to a 31-month jail term |
| A woman who was jailed for stirring up racial hatred in the aftermath of the Southport attack has been released from prison. | A woman who was jailed for stirring up racial hatred in the aftermath of the Southport attack has been released from prison. |
| Lucy Connolly, 42, whose husband serves on Northampton Town Council, pleaded guilty in September after posting the expletive-ridden message on X the day three girls were stabbed in Southport in July 2024. | Lucy Connolly, 42, whose husband serves on Northampton Town Council, pleaded guilty in September after posting the expletive-ridden message on X the day three girls were stabbed in Southport in July 2024. |
| Connolly, from Northampton, called for "mass deportation now" and urged her followers on X to "set fire" to hotels housing asylum seekers. | Connolly, from Northampton, called for "mass deportation now" and urged her followers on X to "set fire" to hotels housing asylum seekers. |
| She was released from HMP Peterborough earlier after she was handed a 31-month prison sentence in October at Birmingham Crown Court. | She was released from HMP Peterborough earlier after she was handed a 31-month prison sentence in October at Birmingham Crown Court. |
| Connolly was freed from prison at the automatic release point of her custodial sentence, after serving 40% of her term in prison. | |
| She will serve the remainder of her sentence on licence under the supervision of the probation service. | |
| How one woman's racist tweet sparked a free speech row | How one woman's racist tweet sparked a free speech row |
| It is understood Connolly was a passenger in a white taxi which left HMP Peterborough via the vehicle airlock, a set of two gates exiting the prison, shortly after 10:00 BST. | It is understood Connolly was a passenger in a white taxi which left HMP Peterborough via the vehicle airlock, a set of two gates exiting the prison, shortly after 10:00 BST. |
| Once the external gate of the airlock had opened, it was reported the taxi drove off down the road past reporters. | Once the external gate of the airlock had opened, it was reported the taxi drove off down the road past reporters. |
| The former childminder posted her tweet on X on 29 July and was arrested on 6 August 2024 | The former childminder posted her tweet on X on 29 July and was arrested on 6 August 2024 |
| The former childminder posted her tweet on X on 29 July 2024. | The former childminder posted her tweet on X on 29 July 2024. |
| On 6 August 2024 she was arrested, by which point she had deleted her social media account, but other messages were found by officers after they had seized her phone. | On 6 August 2024 she was arrested, by which point she had deleted her social media account, but other messages were found by officers after they had seized her phone. |
| The post was viewed 310,000 times in the three-and-a-half hours before she deleted it. | The post was viewed 310,000 times in the three-and-a-half hours before she deleted it. |
| Later in court she admitted to inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing "threatening or abusive" written material on X. | Later in court she admitted to inciting racial hatred by publishing and distributing "threatening or abusive" written material on X. |
| Connolly's husband, Raymond, is a Northampton town councillor and former West Northamptonshire district councillor. | Connolly's husband, Raymond, is a Northampton town councillor and former West Northamptonshire district councillor. |
| He had defended his wife, saying she was "a good person and not a racist" and that she had "paid a very high price for making a mistake". | He had defended his wife, saying she was "a good person and not a racist" and that she had "paid a very high price for making a mistake". |
| Lucy Connolly is thought to have left the prison in a taxi | Lucy Connolly is thought to have left the prison in a taxi |
| Her sentence had been criticised by some as being too harsh, but Sir Keir Starmer defended it. | |
| On 21 May, during Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir was asked whether Connolly's imprisonment was an "efficient or fair use" of prison. | On 21 May, during Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir was asked whether Connolly's imprisonment was an "efficient or fair use" of prison. |
| He responded: "Sentencing is a matter for our courts, and I celebrate the fact that we have independent courts in this country. | He responded: "Sentencing is a matter for our courts, and I celebrate the fact that we have independent courts in this country. |
| "I am strongly in favour of free speech, we've had free speech in this country for a very long time and we protect it fiercely. | "I am strongly in favour of free speech, we've had free speech in this country for a very long time and we protect it fiercely. |
| "But I am equally against incitement to violence against other people. I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe." | "But I am equally against incitement to violence against other people. I will always support the action taken by our police and courts to keep our streets and people safe." |
| In May Court of Appeal judges refused her appeal to reduce the sentence. | In May Court of Appeal judges refused her appeal to reduce the sentence. |
| Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. | Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. |