An anti-vaccination conspiracy theorist who encouraged violence against Prof Sir Chris Whitty on social media has been sentenced to five years in prison.
Patrick Ruane, 55, from Paddington, west London, was convicted of two charges of encouraging terrorism on social media in 2021, following a trial at the Old Bailey.
Ruane believed in conspiracy theories about the government having a “hidden agenda” to the coronavirus epidemic which he shared with thousands of users in Telegram groups, the trial heard.
His posts referred to “serious violence” including the use of explosives such as Semtex as well as criminal damage and the disruption of electronic communication systems, said the prosecution.
Ruane had suggested “whacking” the Chief Medical Officer for England, Prof Sir Chris Whitty, and referred to executing politicians.
Now this is an overreach of the terrorism law that I can get behind!
A counter-argument is that they are punishing mental illness:
In mitigation the court heard Ruane had mental health issues from childhood trauma and had alcohol dependence.
The defendant claimed he had no memory of sending the messages as he was “blind drunk” every day at the time.
Like the Prevent scheme where a “staggeringly high” number people on it are autistic.
