In the immediate aftermath of the murders of PCs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes, Barry Thew was arrested for wearing a white T-shirt on which he had written ‘One less Pig Perfect Justice’ and ‘KiLLACOP4Fun.com Ha,haaa?’
“”While officers on the ground were just learning of and trying to come to terms with the devastating news that two colleagues had been killed, Thew thought nothing of going out in public with a shirt daubed with appalling handwritten comments on,” Insp Bryn Williams said of Thew’s actions.
Thew received a four month jail sentence for wearing the T-shirt as well as a further four months for breaching the conditions of a previous suspended jail term.
Thew’s defence lawyer told the judge that his client had recently been an inpatient at a mental health unit and was still taking anti-psychotic medicine. Judge Peter Larkin said that mental health was “not a factor” according to The Guardian.
While the sentence meted out to Thew for his disrespect for human life has received support from the public, there have been those who have questioned the severity of his punishment.
“Bary Thew’s T-shirt was offensive but in a free society the public should have the right to criticise – and even insult – the police,” human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has said. “His four month jail sentence is unreasonable. No one should be jailed for a mere insult.”
Photo: Greater Manchester Police
