What the judge said to Tyler Kay as he was jailed for racist posts on X

Her Honour Judge Adrienne Lucking told Tyler Kay that he knew his posts would stir up racial hatred as he was jailed for three years and two months today at Northampton Crown Court.

Here are Judge Lucking’s sentencing remarks. We have cut some of the more inflammatory language to account for our family audience.

"You have been committed for sentence to the Crown Court at Northampton for the offence of publishing written material which was threatening, abusive or insulting, intending thereby to stir up racial hatred or, having regard to all the circumstances racial hatred was likely to be stirred up.

“Your offending must be see in the context of the widespread and extensively reported scenes of disorder, violence and criminal damage which have taken place around the country, beginning in Southport and spreading to other locations between of July 30 2024 to date in a number of cities across the country.

"There has, of course, been coverage of this disorder in mainstream media and online and you knew that your conduct participated in and encouraged a pattern of incidents involving racial hatred and serious disorder that took place around the country. This conduct will always attract immediate and substantial punishment.

“On Wednesday August 7 on the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter), your account made a public post stating ‘mass deportation now, set fire to all the f***** hotels full of the b****** for all I care… if that makes me racist, so be it”. The post added the hashtags: #standwithlucyconnolly #f***thamptonshirepolice #conservative #farageriots #riotsuk #northampton.

“Following his posting of the message ‘That’s 100 per cent the plan, plus gloves. No car either so no number plates to travel and a change of clothes nearby your other posts on X made clear a desire to be involved in organised protests in Northampton and provided guidance to others on techniques to avoid police detection.

“The posts included a screenshot of another message inciting action against a named immigration solicitors in Northampton including a time and place were highlighted, several fire emojis were present and the words “no more immigration” and “mask up” along with your added comment ‘The original post was deleted or removed. So have a screenshot instead!!

"Your words added were “Let’s go”. A similar screenshot was posted by you six hours later, on the same day with numerous hashtags this time including #immigration, #asylum, #riots.

"You were arrested at your home address and interviewed yesterday. You admitted that you were responsible for the posts and denied being a racist. You denied any intention to cause harm but might have gone to watch on the sidelines. You implied that the posts were as a result of your sense of humour.

“You have served a basis of plea today to the effect that you did not by your actions intend to stir up racial hatred. You have given evidence on a trial of issue. I rejected your basis of pleas. You are an intelligent, articulate and media savvy person. You were evasive about your interest in the topics on social media and your awareness of the surrounding events.

"You posted as you did because you thought there were no consequences to yourself from stirring up racial hatred in others. You have a keen interest in current events. The overall tone of the posts identified clearly reveals your fundamentally racist mindset.

"You have tried ineffectually to provide alternative explanations for the inflammatory posts. You have attempted to portray yourself as naïve and distance yourself from the racist content; to say that your posts were foolish but that you had no intention to stir up racial hatred. I am sure that you knew that what you were posting would stir up racial hatred in others and that this was what you intentioned.

"You may have done something you now regret but I am sure that when you intentionally created the posts you intended that racial hatred would be stirred up by your utterly repulsive, racist and shocking posts that have no place in a civilised society, including on social media.”

"The maximum sentence for this offence following conviction on indictment is 7 years’ imprisonment.

"The messages directly encourage life-threatening or life-endangering activity, within the context of racial hatred offences. The nature of the social media platform means the posts could have been viewed by any member of the public. The captured posts show views ranging from the low hundreds up to 3457 for the post referring to setting fire to hotels which amounts to widespread dissemination.

“The sentence I pass is one of 38 months’ imprisonment. You will serve up to one-half of your sentence in custody. You will serve the remainder on licence. You must keep to the terms of your licence and commit no further offence, or you will be liable to be recalled and you may then serve the rest of your sentence in custody.”

She also told Kay his devices would be seized.