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Posted on the 7th January 2025 in PHTM News
LANCASHIRE CABBIE JAILED FOR SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS FOR FUELLING SOUTHPORT RIOTS
A Lancashire taxi driver who used social media to incite violence following the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport has been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison.
Andrew McIntyre, 39, of Rufford, created a Telegram channel called "Southport Wake Up" in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy on 29 July 29. The channel, according to prosecutors, acted as a "catalyst" for the subsequent riots.
McIntyre, who pleaded guilty to encouraging violent disorder and possessing a knife, shared inflammatory content online, including calls to violence against police and threats targeting a local mosque.
He also posted a map of Southport with the location of a mosque highlighted.
The court heard that McIntyre's posts, which included a "clear threat to police," contributed directly to the outbreak of violence in the town on 30 July 30.
He later boasted about the unrest, urging supporters to "prepare for Round 2" at a Liverpool mosque.
McIntyre was arrested by police on 8 August, while working as a taxi driver. A knife was discovered in his vehicle, and a search of his home uncovered other weapons and a copy of Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.
While defending counsel argued that McIntyre was a man of "previous good character," the judge emphasised the seriousness of his actions, which fuelled real-world violence.
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