A Dorset man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for posting anti-immigration tweets that were viewed only 33 times, after being reported to police by his own brother-in-law.
A Family Feud Leads to Arrest
Luke Yarwood, 36, from Burton, Dorset, was handed the immediate custodial sentence at Bournemouth Crown Court. The court heard that his series of "extremely unpleasant posts" were designed to stir up racial hatred and incite violence in the wake of the Magdeburg Christmas Market attack in Germany in December 2024.
His posts came to police attention after they were reported by his brother-in-law, Kevin O'Callaghan, with whom Yarwood was known to have a strained relationship. The prosecution argued that despite the limited reach, the posts had the potential to spark disorder at migrant hotels in the local Bournemouth area.
The Content of the 'Odious' Tweets
Between 21 December 2024 and 29 January 2025, Yarwood made a number of posts displaying what the court described as a "rabid dislike" for foreigners and Islam. In one specific tweet, made the day after the German attack, he responded to online discussion by writing: "Head for the hotels housing them and burn them to the ground."
In a second illegal post, made in reply to a GB News item, he wrote: "I think it's time for the British to gang together, hit the streets and start the slaughter... Violence and murder is the only way now. Start off burning every migrant hotel then head off to MPs' houses and Parliament."
Prosecutor Ms Linsley noted that while the two offending tweets had minimal views, other posts by Yarwood in the same period had been seen over 800 times. She stated he was engaging with larger accounts, meaning he was not simply "shouting into the void."
Defence Arguments and Judicial Sentencing
Defence counsel Nick Tucker argued that the posts were "the impotent rantings of a socially isolated man" with fragile mental health, which had "no real world" consequences. He described Yarwood as disaffected and misinformed, rather than a dyed-in-the-wool racist, and said he no longer held the extremist views.
However, Judge Jonathan Fuller rejected the call for a suspended sentence. He stated: "This is not a court of politics but law. You are entitled to express your views, but freedom of speech is not an absolute right... What the law prohibits is the stirring up of racial hatred."
The judge concluded that the "odious" tweets were a clear example of words designed to incite violence and that the offences were so serious only immediate custody was appropriate. The case was compared to that of Lucy Connolly, a Tory councillor's wife jailed in 2024 for similar online comments following the Southport attack.
The court heard Yarwood had a preoccupation with immigrants and extreme right-wing views. Judge Fuller emphasised that the safety of communities is undermined by such actions, marking the end of a case that highlights the legal perils of inciting hatred online, regardless of audience size.
