SEX OFFENDER THREATENED TO STAB BBC PRESENTER
According to Nottingham Crown Court, Michael James, a convicted sex offender, sent a threatening message to a BBC Radio Nottingham presenter, declaring an intent to "stab him 22 times in revenge for the Manchester Arena attacks." The message contained highly offensive racist language and was observed by both station personnel and the show’s host, Arun Verma.It was subsequently discovered that James had deleted the message, which had breached a court order imposed due to his previous sex offences.
His solicitor told the court during sentencing that his client was unable to fully explain why he engaged in this conduct.
Jailing him for 40-weeks, Judge Rupert Mayo said: "Mr James, I accept your apology and I don’t think anybody but you can explain why you did what you did.
"You sent a highly offensive and racist comment during a broadcast by the BBC which would have come up in the studio and would have been seen by the presenter and those working that evening.
"We have freedom of speech but that does not mean we can say what we like when we like.
"At the time you were the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for past offences against people younger than you and one of its requirements was not to delete any messages, which is exactly what you then did." Dawn Pritchard, prosecuting, said the offences took place on the evening of November 20, last year, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
She said Mr Verma was presenting a live show when the defendant sent a message in.
The prosecutor said: "During the evening, BBC Radio Nottingham contacted the police because they had received a concerning message from the defendant.
“He was a persistent caller to the radio station and identified himself as ‘Michael from Daybrook’.
"The message that was received read ‘Notts get off the radio you dirty wannabee P*** terrorist b*****d.
Allah, Allah, it will be when I stab you 22 times in revenge for the Manchester Arena bombing’.
"At the time the defendant was subject to a SHPO (sexual harm prevention order) under the terms of which he was not allowed to delete messages without express permission and he had deleted the message he had sent to the BBC.
"Mr Verma was on the air at the time and the message was clearly racially motivated.
"Mr Verma read the message but did not make a statement." James, of Frobisher Gardens, Daybrook, pleaded guilty to breaching the order and to sending communication threatening serious harm.
He has what the judge called “an extensive criminal record”.
Clarkson Baptiste, mitigating, said his client has been in custody since his arrest in November and has a number of health issues.
He said: "He has a tracheotomy and a spinal tube and his prognosis, he tells me, is 18 months life.
"He wished to apologise to Mr Verma and to the BBC as an organisation.
"He can’t explain his motivation.
"He does not have any particular views towards Mr Verma or the BBC."
