Man jailed for threatening to burn down every mosque in Newcastle in TikTok video

A father-of-four who made a TikTok video threatening to burn down every mosque in Newcastle has been jailed.

James Aspin, 34, from Briardale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, posted what a judge called a “hugely offensive and dangerous” four-minute video on August 8, shortly after the Southport stabbings.

Aspin was sentenced to 20 months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting distributing a recording intending to stir up racial hatred.

The defendant, who had 921 followers on the platform, was drunk when he made the recording.

Judge Carolyn Scott, sentencing, said: “The wording used by you in that TikTok video was hugely offensive and dangerous.

“You referenced people who practise Islam as being largely responsible for awful crimes committed in this country.

“You spoke about asylum seekers in a despicable way.

“You stated that you and others at the planned march in Newcastle would burn down every mosque in Newcastle.”

After he was arrested, he told police: “No-one can say anything these days.”

The judge said the video was made at a time when there was widespread violence in the country and the recording was meant to encourage others to act.

She said mitigating factors included Aspin’s ADHD diagnosis and his remorse and she gave him credit for his guilty plea.

The judge found that his offending was so serious that the sentence could not be suspended, saying: “The words used by you on your TikTok post are not and should not be tolerated.

“Such words could and do, on some occasions, result in action being taken by others which have a serious impact on the lives of other people.”

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