Antrim pair fined for making anti-Catholic comments on Facebook

A man has today been fined £250 (€303.08) after posting sectarian messages on Facebook.

Dean Boyd logged on to the social networking site on his 21st birthday on August 25 last year.

It was during the loyal order marching season and the defendant lives in Co Antrim, where parades have degenerated into violence.

Boyd's post said: "Kill all taigs (Catholics)" and "F*** the Pope", a prosecutor told Coleraine Magistrates' Court.

The PSNI investigation was launched after Sinn Féin Assembly Member Daithi McKay complained to police and said he was concerned about his safety following a series of similar comments by others, which he felt were directed at him.

District judge Richard Wilson told Boyd: "I hope you realise how inappropriate and stupid your comments are.

"It is comments like this that excite and exacerbate any tensions within this community and we can well do without it."

This is believed to be one of the first cases in the North of prosecution for a social networking offence. There have already been several in Great Britain, including a man convicted of sending racist messages about footballer Fabrice Muamba.

A lawyer for Boyd, who expressed remorse in court, said he had quickly removed the offending post.

The unemployed father-of-one from Skye Park, Ballymena, has a partner who is Catholic, the solicitor said. He pleaded guilty to sending a message which was grossly offensive or indecent.

The defendant admitted to police that he should not have posted the message but said it was only intended for his friends, the Public Prosecution Service lawyer said, adding it was not his intention to stir up hatred.

His defence lawyer said it was his birthday and he had been drinking.

There were a number of messages being passed and other people's comments were "much more serious", the solicitor said.

He added: "Mr Boyd did post the comments that have been read out but within 20 minutes he realised he should not have done such a thing and took the comments down.

"He was extremely frank and remorseful to police, in contrast with the responses of the other individuals."

He said his child is a Catholic and his second is being born today.

"He runs in mixed circles and his friends heard of this and he suffered quite a deal of appropriate opprobrium for what he has done," the solicitor said.

He added that he was caught up in a series of messages which were being posted on the site. He said he has nothing to do with the other individuals concerned.

A second man, Matthew McKenna (aged 20) a factory worker from Lisnahilt Road, Broughshane, Co Antrim, later pleaded guilty to the same charge as Boyd.

A prosecution lawyer said he made a series of comments which named Mr McKay.

McKenna added: "Let's show the scum in Rasharkin (a Co Antrim village where many Catholics live) how it is done.

"God save the Queen. For God and Ulster, Kill all Taigs. Lest we forget."

The magistrate condemned the comments.

"These stupid, rabble-rousing sentiments are better left unsaid and your mouth zipped," he told McKenna.

"When you place them on the media like this it only excites and stirs up feelings in the community, which we could all do without."

McKenna was fined £400 (€484.94).