Wayne O’Rourke, a major figure in the far-right Twitter community, has been sentenced to three years in prison for his role in inciting violent riots following the false claim that a Muslim was responsible for the murder of three young girls. Despite the truth being revealed that the killer was actually a Cardiff-born teenager, O’Rourke’s posts had already led to widespread chaos and disorder across the UK.
Over 1,000 arrests have been made in connection to the riots, with O’Rourke being one of the many facing the consequences of his actions. Despite claiming that his posts were meant as ‘dark humour’, the judge was not convinced, highlighting his messages urging followers to confront the police and take to the streets.
O’Rourke, who was earning a significant amount from his online posts, has now been sentenced to a 36-month prison term and is among a growing number of far-right supporters being held accountable for their actions. His lawyer has stated that he is looking to ‘re-educate himself’ following the sentencing.
This turn of events comes after O’Rourke’s confident posts claiming that the police could not arrest him, as he identified as an illegal immigrant. However, his bravado quickly disappeared when he found himself facing serious legal consequences for his incendiary online behaviour.
