Three men charged over Facebook posts allegedly intended to stir up racial hatred

Three men have been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with distributing or publishing material intended to stir up racial hatred.

All three appeared before Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Monday, 12 August.

Geraint Boyce, 43, of Penrhiw-Fer, pleaded guilty to publishing written material intended t stir up racial hatred following the deaths of three girls in Southport last month.

The court heard that he had reposted an image of a mosque on Facebook with the caption "no more mosques - share if you agree".

In a separate post, he had posted the comment “burn them [the mosques] all down".Boyce was remanded in custody and will appear at Merthyr Crown Court on Friday, 16 August, for sentencing.

Daffron Thomas Williams also appeared in court, and pleaded guilty to distributing written material with intent to stir up racial hatred.

The court heard the charge related to a number of posts he had made on Facebook, with one suggesting that the individual charged with murdering three young girls in Southport was a Muslim and an immigrant. The 17-year-old boy who has been charged was born in Cardiff, police have said.

In another post, Williams wrote that “civil war is the next step” and that “they want us to [become] Islamic".

A further post included the words “God Bless Tommy Robinson”, a reference to the founder of the now defunct far-right organisation the English Defence League.

Williams’ solicitor said her client had been “extremely troubled” by the recent social disorder and had taken responsibility for his actions.

She also said the defendant suffered with post-traumatic stress disorder after serving in the army.

District Judge Stephen Harmes refused a bail application, remanding Williams in custody ahead of sentencing in Merthyr on Friday.

Jamie Michael, 45, of Penygraig, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to a charge of distributing audio-visual material to stir up racial hatred.

The court heard the charge related to a Facebook video he is alleged to have posted on 31 July.

An application for bail was refused and Michael will appear in court in Merthyr on Friday, 23 August.

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