Leeds man jailed for producing stickers to stir up racial hatred

A man from Leeds has been jailed for two years after producing stickers intended to stir up racial hatred. Thirty-four-year-old Samuel Melia was found guilty of publishing or distributing material with the intention to stir up racial hatred and encouraging others to do so at Leeds Crown Court.He was charged by Counter Terrorism Policing North East in December 2022 after evidence showed he had established and maintained a database of around 200 stickers, many of which were racist and anti-Semitic in nature. Melia used an encrypted social media channel with over 3,500 subscribers to encourage others to put the stickers up in their local areas. Det Ch Spt James Dunkerley, Head of North East Counter Terrorism Policing, said: "Evidence shows that large numbers of these sticks appeared both here in the UK and a number abroad."These expressions of hate were an attempt to bring upset and stir up racial hatred. It is important to highlight however that our communities are strong and will not allow those who seek to disrupt them succeed."Those that seek to bring hatred to our communities through actions such as stickering will be identified and brought to justice."

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