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5:11pm Tuesday 16th August 2011 in News
A MAN has been jailed for four years after setting up a Facebook page encouraging a riot in Warrington.
Perry Sutcliffe-Keenan, aged 22, of Richmond Avenue, Latchford, was due to be sentenced at Chester Crown Court in September.
But Recorder of Chester Elgan Edwards jailed him today because of the seriousness of the crime.
He praised the swift actions of Cheshire Police and said he hoped the sentences would act as a deterrent to others.
Keenan, who referred to himself as Pezz on the Facebook page, was sentenced alongside Jordan Blackshaw from Northwich - who was also jailed for four years.
He admitted the offence of inciting public disorder.
Assistant Chief Constable Phil Thompson said: "If we cast our minds back just a few days to last week and recall the way in which technology was used to spread incitement and bring people together to commit acts of criminality it is easy to understand the four year sentences that were handed down in court today.
"In Cheshire, we quickly recognised the impact of the situation on our communities and the way in which social media was being used to promote and incite behaviour that would strike fear in to the hearts of our communities.
"From the offset Cheshire Constabulary adopted a robust policing approach using the information coming into the organisation to move quickly and effectively against any person whose behaviour was likely to encourage criminality.
"Officers took swift action against those people who have been using Facebook and other social media sites to incite disorder.
"The sentences passed down today recognise how technology can be abused to incite criminal activity and sends a strong message to potential troublemakers about the extent to which ordinary people value safety and order in their lives and their communities.
Anyone who seeks to undermine that will face the full force of the law.”
Martin McRobb, crown advocate for CPS Mersey-Cheshire said: “Jordan Blackshaw, 21 and Perry Sutcliffe, 22, independently and from the safety of their homes may have thought that it would be acceptable to set up a Facebook page to incite others to take part in disorders in Cheshire.
"They were wrong and were both sentenced today to four years’ imprisonment at Chester Crown Court, after pleading guilty to intentionally encouraging another to assist the commission of an indictable offence under sections 44 and 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007.
“They both used Facebook to organise and orchestrate serious disorder at a time when such incidents were taking place in other parts of the country.
"Both defendants, in Northwich and Warrington respectively, sought to gain widespread support in order to replicate similar criminality.
"In investigating these cases, the Cheshire Constabulary acted very swiftly and effectively to close down these websites and to ensure that there was no actual participation in the planned events.
"Nevertheless, these posts caused significant panic and revulsion in local communities as rumours of anticipated violence spread.
“The Crown Prosecution Service worked very closely with the police and Cheshire Crown Court to bring forward preliminary hearing dates that had initially been listed on September 19.
"We were able to serve upon the defence in both cases sufficient case material that led to early guilty pleas and we were able to present the facts in both cases in a fair but robust manner.
“While the judge heard the two defendants were previously of good character, they admitted committing very serious offences that carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. The consequence of their actions could have led to more disorder and this was taken into account.”
Comments(69)
frank100
says...
6:33pm Tue 16 Aug 11
moleogod
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6:34pm Tue 16 Aug 11
local_mouth
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7:12pm Tue 16 Aug 11
Mostofus
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8:49pm Tue 16 Aug 11
resident*1
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9:55pm Tue 16 Aug 11
toffeeman_4ever
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10:27pm Tue 16 Aug 11
Sic Sac
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10:28pm Tue 16 Aug 11
SickAndTired2
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11:35pm Tue 16 Aug 11
SickAndTired2
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11:35pm Tue 16 Aug 11
widnesman
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12:09am Wed 17 Aug 11
warrington dad
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12:40am Wed 17 Aug 11
warrington_biker
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6:44am Wed 17 Aug 11
Thousandyardstare
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8:03am Wed 17 Aug 11
SickAndTired2 wrote:Fiat Justitia!
How much of a weapons grade idiot do you feel today chump!!!
moleogod
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8:26am Wed 17 Aug 11
moleogod
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8:26am Wed 17 Aug 11
nicole morris
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8:32am Wed 17 Aug 11
SickAndTired2
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8:33am Wed 17 Aug 11
warrington dad wrote:Oh I don't disagree with the sentence, but it does make you wonder why people who actually carry out crimes where there are serious victims don't get similarly harsh treatment..
Although the sentence may seem harsh, what he did had the potential to be explosive. The large amount of people who use facebook would have seen this, and then posted and there friends would have seen it and so on. Can you imagine, having your shop/home that you have worked hard for destroyed by mindless yobs? Look at the amount of people who were hurt or killed as a result of the riots elsewhere. He may be a pillock, but if the goverment dont send out a message, then it will continue.
moleogod
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8:43am Wed 17 Aug 11
richiepooh
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10:11am Wed 17 Aug 11
old-codger
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10:20am Wed 17 Aug 11
richiepooh
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11:05am Wed 17 Aug 11
A_view
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12:32pm Wed 17 Aug 11
A_view
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12:38pm Wed 17 Aug 11
notatcreamfields
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1:07pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Arktos
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4:34pm Wed 17 Aug 11
frank100 wrote:The sentence should stand - these were people who pleaded guilty and were given a sentence within court guidelines - the BBC has it that 'The Crown Prosecution Service said the offences committed carried maximum sentences of 10 years'
I can guarantee this sentence will not stand.He will appeal it and he will be out in a few months.Yes he was an idiot for what he done...but 4 years...come on,people get less for manslaughter.its laughable really.
Arktos
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4:34pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Arktos
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4:34pm Wed 17 Aug 11
old-codger
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5:57pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Freeborn John
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6:23pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Freeborn John
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6:23pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Freeborn John
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6:24pm Wed 17 Aug 11
ffsgetalife
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6:58pm Wed 17 Aug 11
old-codger
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8:30pm Wed 17 Aug 11
ffsgetalife
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8:36pm Wed 17 Aug 11
old-codger
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8:38pm Wed 17 Aug 11
ffsgetalife
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8:45pm Wed 17 Aug 11
notatcreamfields
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8:56pm Wed 17 Aug 11
notatcreamfields
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8:58pm Wed 17 Aug 11
ffsgetalife
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9:05pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Jake55
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10:32pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Jake55
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10:33pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Cleopatra
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10:45pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Cleopatra
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10:53pm Wed 17 Aug 11
Jake55
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7:26am Thu 18 Aug 11
silverlady54
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9:25am Thu 18 Aug 11
Cleopatra
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9:30am Thu 18 Aug 11
Cleopatra
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9:37am Thu 18 Aug 11
ffsgetalife
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9:54am Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100
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10:13am Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100
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10:15am Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100
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10:16am Thu 18 Aug 11
silverlady54
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12:23pm Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100
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1:06pm Thu 18 Aug 11
silverlady54
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1:28pm Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100 wrote:where born??
Due process of the law....some people where born gullible....lol!
A_view
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1:45pm Thu 18 Aug 11
frank100
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2:29pm Thu 18 Aug 11
LFC-JFT96-YNWA
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10:35pm Thu 18 Aug 11
Jake55
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4:26pm Fri 19 Aug 11
Jake55
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4:27pm Fri 19 Aug 11
Cleopatra
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4:31pm Fri 19 Aug 11
old-codger
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6:23pm Fri 19 Aug 11
Freeborn John
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1:01pm Sun 21 Aug 11
Crunchy Frog
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4:08pm Tue 23 Aug 11
Sic Sac wrote:Go tell that to Karl Wanstall why don't you?!
That is complete crap. I don't agree with inciting riots, but to jail him for 4 YEARS!? He shouldn't receive ANY punishment at all since he didn't do anything!! He used his freedom of speech to tell others to riot, there's no proof he did any rioting himself. This kind of treatment of citizens is similar to what China would do and it's completely unacceptable.
old-codger
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9:33am Wed 24 Aug 11
old-codger
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9:34am Wed 24 Aug 11
dustjunkie
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10:23am Thu 25 Aug 11
basil-brush
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11:19pm Sun 28 Aug 11
Sic Sac
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1:25am Fri 2 Sep 11
old-codger wrote:OF COURSE you're not to blame!! If you told someone to murder somebody else and they actually did it, why would you be the one in trouble? You didn't commit the crime so you should not be punished for it. If I tell people to smoke weed and they do should I be jailed for that too?
Sic Sac wrote:
That is complete crap. I don't agree with inciting riots, but to jail him for 4 YEARS!? He shouldn't receive ANY punishment at all since he didn't do anything!! He used his freedom of speech to tell others to riot, there's no proof he did any rioting himself. This kind of treatment of citizens is similar to what China would do and it's completely unacceptable. This logic tells me if I tell someone to murder someone I am not to blame.. ???. I dont think sic sac has got a grip on life.
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SickAndTired2 says...
6:24pm Tue 16 Aug 11