Barry Thew jailed for T-shirt mocking PCs' deaths Published duration 11 October 2012

image caption Thew was arrested wearing the T-shirt hours after the PCs were killed

A man from Greater Manchester who wore a T-shirt daubed with offensive comments about the killing of two police officers has been jailed.

Barry Thew, 39, was arrested wearing the top with the words "one less pig perfect justice" hours after the deaths of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes.

He admitted a public order offence and was jailed for four months at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.

Insp Bryn Williams said after the case that the T-shirt had been "appalling".

A police spokesman said Thew, of Worsley Street, Radcliffe, had been arrested after being seen wearing the T-shirt in Radcliffe town centre "just hours" after the constables died in a gun and grenade attack in Mottram on 18 September.

Mr Williams said: "While officers on the ground were just learning of and trying to come to terms with the devastating news that two colleagues had been killed, Thew thought nothing of going out in public with a shirt daubed with appalling handwritten comments on."

'Darkest hour'

Thew was also sentenced to a further four months for breaching the conditions of an earlier 12-month suspended sentence for the possession of cannabis.

image caption The funerals for the PCs saw members of the public join police officers to pay tribute to them

The two PCs were killed after being called to a house in Mottram, Tameside, on 18 September.

Their funerals took place in Manchester on 3 and 4 October and saw members of the public join police officers on the city's streets to pay tribute to them.

Mr Williams said that "the overwhelming response from the public, who have inundated us with messages of support and condolence, proves that Thew is the exception and not the rule and our communities were right behind us at our darkest hour".