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One of Britain’s most infamous internet trolls has broken cover after being tracked down by the Sunday ECHO.

Old Holborn – as he is known on Twitter – has previously sparked fury by joking about the Hillsborough tragedy, James Bulger’s murder and reportedly made homophobic remarks about a Liverpool councillor.

He spoke exclusively to this newspaper about his controversial online activities, saying “demented trolls” are the “price we pay” for free speech.

Old Holborn, unmasked as former Essex recruitment consultant Robert Ambridge, is currently being investigated by detectives for online messages sent to Wavertree’s Cllr Jake Morrison.

The troll told the Sunday ECHO: “Naturally, those who don’t share my views or choose to take offence can find ample succour in the simple retort of ‘vile troll’ – water off a duck’s back to me, I’m thick-skinned enough to know that it’s only Twitter.

“I’m passionate about free speech. There are demented trolls out there, happily breaking the law by targeting individuals and we already have laws to deal with them.

“Twitter is possibly the greatest tool that free speech has ever possessed and is quite literally capable of bringing down tyrants and despots.

“Governments are desperate to control it, censor it, silence it – and if a few unwelcome trolls are the price we pay for every voice on the planet being free, it’s a price worth paying.

“Censoring words is one step away from burning books and we all know where that leads. [If you] don’t like it, don’t read it – yes, [it’s] that simple.”

But Cllr Morrison hit back at the troll’s claims.

He said: “This troll has been commenting on my sexuality since February and has tried to discredit me by calling me a paedophile.

“It’s a mockery to say we are trying to limit free speech.

“Old Holborn has quite clearly crossed a line – you can’t just make any accusation about anyone and say that’s free speech.”

Cllr Morrison plans to request a meeting with a Government minister to lobby for tougher action against trolls.

An Essex police spokesman said: “We are investigating the circumstances surrounding an allegation made by a man from Liverpool who had been offended by a series of homophobic tweets, purportedly made by a man last known to be living in Braintree.”

Old Holborn has been booted off Twitter many times, but gets round the bans with new accounts.

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