MP death threat troll John Nimmo is jailed Published duration 10 February 2017

image copyright PA image caption John Nimmo was jailed in 2014 for eight weeks for sending other abusive messages on Twitter

An internet troll who made anti-Semitic death threats to a Labour MP and threatened to blow up a mosque has been jailed for 27 months.

John Nimmo, 28, from South Shields, sent two emails to Luciana Berger in which he said she would "get it like Jo Cox" and "watch your back Jewish scum".

Emails to an anti-hate crime group also including threats to blow up a mosque.

Nimmo admitted a total of nine charges relating to online threats at Newcastle Crown Court.

One of Nimmo's messages to Liverpool Labour MP Ms Berger included a picture of a large knife and came just three weeks after MP Jo Cox was killed , the court heard.

Nimmo was jailed in 2014 for eight weeks for sending abusive messages on Twitter to feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez and MP Stella Creasy.

Ms Criado-Perez had led a campaign using social media for a female figure to appear on a Bank of England note.

image copyright PA/Gareth Fuller image caption Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger said Nimmo's messages had left her "extremely concerned" for her safety

Ms Berger, a former shadow minister for mental health, said the messages had caused her "great fear and anguish".

She said the incident had left her in a state of "huge distress" and "extremely concerned" for her safety.

Prosecutor Mark Giuliani told the court the messages to Faith Matters, which offer an online hate crime reporting system, included pictures of dead bodies and the words "Death to Muslims".

'Hate-filled abuse'

Nimmo, who appeared by video link from prison, was told by Judge Robert Adams that he had "caused terror, fear and paranoia".

He said the crimes were cowardly attacks "which caused misery to other people".

He said the attack on Ms Berger was the most serious of them all, because "it involved a lady who is Jewish and a democratically elected member of Parliament".

Vic Laffey, defending, admitted the offences had caused "enormous distress" to the victims and said Nimmo lived an isolated life and suffered from Aspergers Syndrome.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman added: "John Nimmo conducted an online campaign of hate-filled abuse in the belief his identity was securely hidden behind the fake accounts that he had created.

"Nimmo tried to cover his tracks but his clumsy attempts to do so were swiftly exposed and he was arrested."

Responding to the sentence, Ms Berger said: "Every day, up and down our country, people experience vile racist abuse, harassment and violence.

"Too often people feel that they can't report these horrific crimes. I hope that if any good at all can come from this traumatic experience it is that others will see that you do not have to suffer in silence."

Related Topics South Shields