Wife of Tory councillor sentenced to prison for inciting racial hatred in social media post

Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Conservative councillor, has been sentenced to 31 months in prison for inciting racial hatred. She called for violence against hotels housing asylum seekers in a social media post following a tragic knife attack in Southport. Connolly's post, which was viewed over 310,000 times, included calls for mass deportations and arson. She pleaded guilty in September, and the judge noted her lack of insight into the consequences of her actions. On the same day, Simon Orr was sentenced to over six years for rioting related to unrest after the Southport attack. He was involved in encouraging violence against a hotel and is one of several individuals charged in connection with the disturbances.