Ramsbottom Man Jailed for Sharing Hate Speech Online
Sean Dowd from Edgar Street, Ramsbottom, has been sentenced to 27 months behind bars at Manchester Crown Court. The ruling came down on Thursday, 25 July 2024, following his guilty plea to multiple counts of stirring up racial and religious hatred.
27 Months for Racist and Religious Hate Posts
- Ten counts of distributing threatening, abusive, or insulting materials aimed at stirring racial hatred under the Public Order Act 1986.
- Three counts involving threatening materials intended to stir religious hatred.
Dowd was arrested in March 2023 after police tracked his social media account spreading a torrent of antisemitic, racist, and xenophobic posts.
Spreading Hate and Violence Online
The offensive posts on Dowd’s account encouraged violence against various communities and even praised terrorists responsible for previous attacks.
At the time of his arrest, Dowd’s social media profile had 200 followers and a chilling bio stating: “smiling and sharpening my knife”.
Police Crackdown on Online Hate
Detective Superintendent Andy Meeks, Head of CTPNW Investigations, said:
“Over several months, Sean Dowd repeatedly shared offensive posts online encouraging violence and anger towards minority communities.”
“We know all too well how damaging hateful online activity can be. This custodial sentence sends a strong message.”
“I urge anyone who encounters hateful, violent or extremist content online to report it to the police immediately so action can be taken.”
Dowd’s conviction highlights the ongoing battle law enforcement faces in tackling hate speech and preventing it from spilling into real-world violence.
