Middle class college student is the first woman in UK to be locked up under Online Safety Act - after she threatened to stab her estranged mother to death warning: 'I will be in prison by this time next week'
A middle class college student has become the first woman in the UK to be locked up under new online safety laws after she threatened to kill her estranged mother during an angry phone call.
Jorja Cockram-Smyth, 20, who has severe autism, was arrested under the Government's new Online Safety Act after a furious call with her social worker.
During the conversation, she warned Dawn Clarke that she would stab her mother Louise McElroy to death adding: 'I will be in prison this time next week, I will get her.'
Cockram-Smyth served three weeks in Styal women's prison over the phone call before being eligible for automatic release this week. She was previously sentenced to six weeks imprisonment by magistrates at Warrington.
The 20-year-old is believed to be the first female in the UK to be jailed under Section 181 of the Online Safety Act.
Jorja Cockram-Smyth, 20, (pictured) who has severe autism, was arrested under the Government's new Online Safety Act after a furious call with her social worker
During the conversation, the student threatened to stab her mother Louise McElroy (pictured) to death
The new law makes it a criminal offence to send messages 'conveying a threat of death, serious injury, rape, assault by penetration, or serious financial loss.'
According to social media Jorja Cockram-Smyth, who was originally known as Georgia, had taken on a voluntary role with the RSPCA during her time at Reaseheath agricultural college.
In 2021, she and her mother appeared to have a loving relationship based off Ms McElroy's social media posts, where she would regularly gush over how proud she was of her daughter.
In a series of posts on Facebook, the mother called her daughter 'my little princess' and 'my amazing warrior' whilst Cockram-Smyth posted: 'Love you millions - the best mum I could ever have' on her Instagram page.
But in 2022 they pair fell out after Cockram-Smyth attacked her stepfather Christopher McElroy - armed with a kitchen knife- during a row at the family's £300,000 detached home on a cul-de-sac in Padgate, Warrington.
She was later convicted of common assault and possessing an offensive weapon although she insisted Mr McElroy who suffered two puncture wounds was not stabbed.
She received further battery convictions including assault on emergency workers and criminal damage.
Police at one stage applied for a stalking protection order against Cockram-Smyth after she kept turning up at a Primark store where Mrs McElroy works as a manager.
Officers said she would go to the store at the Golden Square shopping mall three times a day, trying to enter a restricted area to seek out her mother.
Based off their social media posts, Ms McElroy and her daughter had a close relationship where she would regularly gush with pride about Ms Cockram-Smyth
She would also wander the aisles for 'hours at a time' whilst placing her mother under surveillance, according to police.
Although the protection order was withdrawn, another was subsequently taken out against Cockram-Smyth banning her from contacting Ms McElroy.
In the latest incident on July 11, Cockram-Smyth who has autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, a chromosomal disorder unique to her, PTSD, and a visual impairment. was arrested after she called her social worker Dawn Clarke at 4.30pm with claims she was carrying a knife.
Robert Earl, prosecuting, said: 'She was heard shouting and screaming and as the conversation has continued, there were further threats.
'She shouted that she would kill her mother and stab her saying. "I will be in prison this time next week. I will get her".
'The victim feared and believed the threats to be credible. She was very concerned. She contacted the police believing that the threats were credible.'
'She made reference to a previous offence whereby this defendant stabbed her father and there is an order which prevents the defendant from contacting her mother and that has been breached previously.
He added: 'This is a relatively new offence and something which this court can deal with. The range goes up to six months which is within the court's sentencing powers.
'Given the offence is on family and the previous offending this is something that has passed the custody threshold.'
But in 2022 they pair fell out after Cockram-Smyth attacked her stepfather Christopher (pictured) McElroy - armed with a kitchen knife- during a row at the family home
A probation officer told the court Cockram-Smyth failed to co-operate with a background report, adding: 'She does suffer multiple complex needs.
'She has autism spectrum disorder, learning difficulties, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, a chromosomal disorder unique to her, PTSD, and visual impairment.
'She clearly has large issues that are causing problems. The difficulties we have is that she does not engage with the probation service.
'She clearly has got difficult problems that are causing her to offend and realistically probation are there to support her and help her but she has not taken that on board unfortunately.
They continued: 'Quite simply, the probation service is at a loss to know what we can do with her.'
Defending, Jonathan Condor, said: 'She has multiple difficulties and to compound that her relationship with her family has completely broken down.
'There were a number of incidents in 2022 which resulted in an estrangement which is going to take some time to repair.
'She is currently subject to a restraining order in relation to her mother and at the tender age of 18, 19, and 20 become very isolated.
'She does have the support of social services and mental health services locally but it is a difficult situation, not one where there is an easy answer to propose.
'She accepts making these remarks about her mother but they were not directly to her - they were about her mother. She made them to her social worker who knows her very well.
'I am not suggesting that the social worker was not alarmed but it is significant that the threats were not made directly to the person on the receiving end.
Ms Cockram-Smyth is now subject to a restraining order in relation to her mother (pictured)
'From the speech and language report, it was very clear that the defendant has difficulties expressing herself and has difficulty interpreting how people may be thinking and feeling.
'This impacts on her ability to form and maintain relationships with others and impacts on her ability to understand the motives of other people in social situations. She has, to put it mildly, a short temper at times. That is what happened.
'She lost her temper. She made all sorts of unfortunate comments about her mother which I expect she did not mean.
'The isolation has caused her deep frustration compounding all other problems resulting in this outburst.
'She is already subject to a restraining order in relation to her mother. That is going to continue.'
Cockram-Smyth who is now subject to probation supervision was also made to pay £239 in costs and victim surcharge.
