Facebook death threat man faces jail

Twenty-two-year-old Gary William Cunningham posted vile messages on the Facebook page of Lucy Pape, ranging from graphic sexual insults to threats to burn down her house, Newbury magistrates heard last Thursday.
Claire French, prosecuting, said: “Miss Pape had never met him before. The police spoke to him on two occasions and gave him advice. She blocked him but he opened a new account and began posting again. The messages got progressively worse and more threatening.”
The court heard that Mr Cunningham, who used to live in Church Street, Hungerford, but now lives in Eastcourt Road, Burbage, targetted Miss Pape because her former partner owed him money.
Miss French said: “She has a young child and she was frightened for her safety. She said she started to believe he would carry out his threats. She got very frightened and struggled to sleep at nights.”
Mr Cunningham admitted sending malicious communications to cause distress or anxiety between October 14 and December 2 this year. He also admitted breaching a conditional discharge imposed for an assault.
The court heard also that Mr Cunningham had a previous conviction for a similar matter, relating to online hate messages about the police during the summer of 2011, when rioting broke out in some cities across the UK.
With the possibility that the violence could spread as far as Newbury, Mr Cunningham had posted: “It would be a laugh, especially if any police got cut up. Police deserve getting killed – I support any riot that targets police and property. All cops are scum.”
Miss French asked the court to consider imposing a restraining order on Mr Cunningham.
However, Peter Gotch, defending, said that the Facebook messages relating to police were “entirely different” and claimed that Miss Pape had “goaded” his client.
He said that in one instance, before blocking Mr Cunningham from her Facebook page, she had messaged him: “You’re a sick coward and I’m not scared of anyone.”
Mr Gotch added: “This isn’t a case where there’s a genuine victim– this is someone who gave as good as she got.”
Miss French interjected: “Some of his messages involved her young daughter, hence her anger.”
Magistrates warned Mr Cunningham that he faced a possible jail sentence and bailed him until January 16 next year for pre-sentence reports to be prepared. He was ordered not to contact Miss Pape.