Tory councillor's wife jailed for stirring up racial hatred
The Independent|October 18, 2024
The wife of a Conservative councillor who used social media to stir up racial hatred against asylum seekers on the day of the Southport attacks told a WhatsApp user she would “play the mental health card” if she was arrested.
JANE DALTON
Tory councillor's wife jailed for stirring up racial hatred

Lucy Connolly was jailed yesterday for 31 months for inciting racial hatred.

The 41-year-old, who is married to West Northamptonshire councillor Raymond Connolly, had posted a message on Twitter/X that read: “Mass deportation now, set fire to all the fucking hotels full of the bastards for all I care... If that makes me racist, so be it”, Birmingham Crown Court was told.

Then, a week later, the former childminder sent a WhatsApp message joking that the tweet to her 10,000 followers had “bitten me on the arse, lol”.

Prosecutor Naeem Valli said Connolly also sent a message saying she intended to work her notice period as a childminder “on the sly” despite being deregistered. Mr Valli added: “She then goes on to say that if she were to get arrested she would play the mental health card.”

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