Blyth TikTok user jailed for hateful rant in which he spoke about burning down Newcastle mosques
by Rob Kennedy · ChronicleLiveA TikTok user has been jailed for posting a hateful rant during which he said "we are going to burn down every mosque in Newcastle".
James Aspin posted a video lasting almost four minutes at a time of high tension in the country in August when a number of riots and protests were taking place. He also made "despicable" comments about asylum seekers, blamed followers of Islam for crime and said "Churchill would have a fit".
Newcastle Crown Court heard Aspin, 34, of Briardale Road, Blyth, had 921 followers at the time and his posts were visible to everyone. Clare Anderson, prosecuting, said that on August 8 this year, "during quite high emotion in society given what had gone on further south in the country", Aspin posted a video.
That resulted in another user commenting on what he had posted, questioning what he had said, which prompted Aspin to post a video lasting three minutes and 58 seconds. During the rant, he said that he planned to attend a march at the Monument, in Newcastle, that weekend, boasting "we are going to burn down every f****** mosque in Newcastle, you watch, you f****** watch".
He also said: "If Churchill was still alive he would have a f****** fit." Aspin also complained about asylum seekers and blamed followers of Islam for crime.
Police went to Aspin's home and arrested him. He told police "no one can say anything these days" and told officers it was "just a rant" and that he was "simply stating his opinion". He went on to say asylum seekers should not come to the country and cause problems and said he intended to attend the march in Newcastle with an England flag but denied planning or being involved in organising it.
When asked about his comment about burning down mosques in Newcastle, he said he couldn't believe he said it and had been drinking when the comments were made. He added that he had no intention to damage mosques but accepted others would feel frightened by what he had said. Aspin denied being racist and said he was intoxicated when he made the post.
But Miss Anderson said: "There was an intention of inciting serious violence. This was on social media at a particularly sensitive social time for the country."
Aspin, who has two previous convictions for being drunk and disorderly, pleaded guilty to distributing a recording intending to stir up religious hatred and was jailed for 20 months.
Judge Carolyn Scott told him: "The words used by you were hugely offensive and dangerous." The judge said Apsin said Muslim people are "largely responsible for crime" and "spoke about asylum seekers in a despicable way".
The judge said his comment about burning down mosques "encouraged behaviour which directly threatened life". She added: "It was at a moment where there was widespread violence in this country and there was a particularly sensitive social climate."
Judge Scott told Aspin: "The nature of your offending is such that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by a sentence of immediate imprisonment. The words used cannot and should not be tolerated.
"Such words can result in actions being taken by others which have an impact on the lives of other innocent people."
Tony Cornberg, defending, said: "The pre-sentence report talks of a vulnerable man but no one hearing what he said would know that. What he said was highly unpleasant and dangerous, playing his part in stirring up trouble or indeed further trouble.
"It's interesting to see in the pre-sentence report how easily-led he is and how easily influenced. He went on to borrow the opinions of others and presented them as his own."
The court heard he has ADHD, had a traumatic childhood, has had depression and has four children who live with their mother.
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