A ‘keyboard warrior’ whose social media post urging people to protest had 1.7 million views has been jailed for three years.
Wayne O’Rourke, a 35-year-old carer who had more than 90,000 followers on X and earned around £1,400 a month from it, posted several times expressing his support for the recent protests.
He also offered advice to rioters on how to remain anonymous.
Among his posts on July 29 was a reference to the deaths of three children in Southport, claiming it was a terrorist attack carried out by a Muslim.
Another message read: “People of Southport, where the fuck are you? Get out on the streets.” The message had 1.7 million views, the court was told.
Other posts showed an image of the County Road mosque in Liverpool and an image of a burning car in Sunderland.
Caretaker Wayne O’Rourke, 35, has been jailed for three years for “inciting” riots with posts
Other posts showed an image of the County Road mosque in Liverpool and an image of a burning car in Sunderland. Pictured: Riots on County Road, Liverpool
This was accompanied by a message reading: ‘Sunderland, go lads.’
Another post read: “Starmer has basically told us we are against them. Let’s hold the line.”
Other posts say, “Numbers matter” and “Hit ’em hard, boys.”
O’Rourke’s X profile was accompanied by a photo of a bulldog wearing a Union Jack jacket.
In the interview, O’Rourke admitted receiving around £1,400 a month in payments into his account.
X users with more than 500 followers can make money by posting videos or with sponsored content and affiliate marketing.
O’Rourke, of Salix Approach, Lincoln, admitted publishing written material online to incite racial hatred between July 28 and August 8.
The court heard O’Rourke had no previous convictions but was cautioned for fraud in 2018.
Lucia Harrington, mitigating, said O’Rourke did not set up his account with the intention of promoting such material and had become “caught up in the media frenzy”.
Miss Harrington said O’Rourke had previously worked as a parcel sorter but left the job to become a carer for his partner, who suffered from fibromyalgia.
He added that O’Rourke now wanted to re-educate himself on the things he had gotten wrong.
Rioters stormed County Road in Liverpool and caused significant damage
Sentencing, Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told O’Rourke: “You were not involved in what others were doing, you were instigating it.”
Judge Catarina Knight added: “The flames fanned by keyboard warriors like you.”
The judge also made clear that she did not accept O’Rourke’s assertion in the interview that it was black humor.
Judge Sjolin Knight asked O’Rourke directly: “Where’s the humor, Mr. O’Rourke?”
