Husband of 'quiet, sheltered' grandmother, 53, says jailing her for 15 months for writing on Facebook that people should blow up mosques is 'well over the top'
The husband of a grandmother jailed for more than a year for posting on Facebook mosques should be blown up has said the sentence is 'well over the top'.
David Sweeney, 76, believes his wife Julie, 53, did not deserve to be locked up for her post in the aftermath of the Southport stabbings which were followed by rioting.
At her sentencing at Chester Crown Court, Judge Steven Everett branded her a 'keyboard warrior' adding 'even people like you need to go to prison.'
The court heard she was led a 'quiet, sheltered life' but became angry when watching the news and hearing of the knife attack.
Mr Sweeney, who used to work as an RAF supplier, argued the jailing his wife for 15 months was too harsh.
He said: 'It is completely out of proportion, it's just ridiculous.'
Julie Sweeney: Jailed for 15 months after posting on Facebook mosques should be blown up
In happier times: David Sweeney and his wife Julie on their wedding day
David and Julie have been married for 29 years and he describes her as his 'right arm'
Speaking to the Telegraph, he added: 'Three police cars turned up, there were three officers. What's that about? It's too big a force for what it was. It's just crazy.
'It's a big loss, she's my right arm. It does anger you, it's over the top, well over the top. It's difficult, it's hard to come to terms.
'She just got angry on the night because we watched a news item with her… it just wound her up because of what had happened to the three girls.'
Following the Southport stabbings in which three young girls were killed, Sweeney posted in the Facebook group in Kidsgrove: 'It is absolutely ridiculous. Don't protect the mosques. Blow the mosques up with the adults in it.'
Prosecutor Sarah Badrawy explained the post was reported to the police after one of the group's 5,100 members found it distressing.
Mr Sweeney said he tried to delete his wife's post but was unable to work out how to do so, and later it was taken down by Facebook.
Sweeney, from Church Lawton, Cheshire, admitted sending a communication to convey a threat of death or serious harm.
Another family member, who did not wish to be named, agreed the sentence was harsh, saying: 'There needs to be some sort of punishment, I'm not denying that but 15 months is quite a lot, considering other people do worse things and get lesser sentences.'
A spokesman for Cheshire Constabulary said: 'Since the start of the recent disorder in other areas of the UK, we have been clear that we will not tolerate this kind of behaviour in Cheshire, including those who post abusive and threatening messages online.
'People may think that posting hateful messages on social media, instead of engaging in this sort of behaviour in person, offers them some sort of anonymity. But this could not be further from the truth.
'As this case demonstrates, there is nowhere to hide. If you choose to engage in this behaviour, whether in person or online, we will find you and you will be held responsible.'
