This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

A Doncaster man who said on Twitter that he would blow up a snowbound airport if it was not reopened in time for him to fly to see his girlfriend will appeal to the high court in London on Wednesday to overturn a criminal conviction for menacing use of a public communication system.

Lawyers for Paul Chambers have argued that his message was not intended to menace the airport authorities and was "a jest, a joke, a parody".

They have claimed that the imposition of a fine and criminal record breach his rights to free expression under the European convention on human rights. The case is believed to be the UK's first criminal conviction for the content of a tweet.

In January 2010, Chambers was planning a trip to Northern Ireland to see Sarah Tonner, alias @Crazycolours, whom he had met online.

When the snow fell he tweeted to his 690 followers: "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your shit together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!!"

A week later he was arrested by five police officers, questioned for eight hours, had his computers and phones seized and was subsequently charged and convicted of causing a menace under the Communications Act 2003.

The act states it is an offence to send "by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character".

Chambers, a trainee accountant, was found guilty by magistrates, handed a £1,000 fine and lost his job. The decision was upheld in September 2010 by a judge and two lay magistrates at Doncaster crown court, and a campaign was launched to help Chambers fight the case.

The comedians Stephen Fry, Al Murray and Graham Linehan were among those who offered backing and a fundraising show was staged to fund Chambers' defence, which is being overseen by his solicitor, David Allen Green.

Chambers is being represented by Ben Emmerson QC, of Matrix Chambers, who specialises in freedom of expression cases and European human rights law. Robert Smith QC will appear for the director of public prosecutions.

• This article was amended on 8 February 2012. It originally said the case had reached the court of appeal. This should have said the high court. This has been corrected.