Internet ‘troll’ barred from social network sites after sick stunt

A SERIAL internet “troll” who posted a sick doctored photograph of a schoolgirl killed in a gun accident on an online tribute page has been banned from accessing social networking sites.

Sean Duffy – who has previously been jailed for tormenting the family of another dead teenager – uploaded the image of Sophie Taylor, 16, who was accidentally shot by her gamekeeper boyfriend.

The community of Tomintoul, Banffshire, was left in shock after Callum Murray, 18, turned the gun on himself moments after firing the shot that killed Sophie at a remote cottage in April last year.

The term “trolling” is used to describe the trend of anonymously seeking to provoke outrage by posting insults and abuse online.

Friends and family of the teenagers had set up special dedication pages on the internet for tributes to the pair.

But within days a doctored image was uploaded by Duffy, showing the schoolgirl with a bullet wound in her head.

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to the crime though a letter lodged at Aberdeen Sheriff Court last month.

He appeared for sentence yesterday and his solicitor told the court he wished to make a public apology to everyone he had offended through his posts. Fiscal depute Lynzi Wallace said Sophie’s auntie Anne Taylor was left “cold, shocked and angry” when she came cross the image while consoling herself reading tributes to her niece. The court heart the image was also used in a 12-second YouTube video posted by Duffy.

Miss Wallace said when friends of Sophie left messages voicing their disgust, Duffy wrote back: “Ha ha. You can remove this as much as you want, I will just repost it.”

Defence agent Neil McRobert told the court Duffy, who was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome when he was aged five, was, in retrospect, “devastated, ashamed and upset”.

He said Duffy had fully admitted what he had done to police while being interviewed over another trolling offence. He added: “I’m further instructed to make a public apology to all those affected by his actions.”

Duffy admitted a charge of behaving in a “threatening or abusive” manner that was likely to cause fear or alarm by posting the image, which also showed blood running from the schoolgirl’s mouth.

He was said to have committed the crime at a property in Western Road in Inverurie.

Duffy was released from prison in November after admitting sending offensive messages to websites relating to a schoolgirl who took her own life in September.

Worcestershire teenager Natasha MacBryde, 16, had thrown herself under a train after being bullied. He admitted two offences of “trolling” – leaving indecent or offensive communications – at Reading Magistrates’ Court.

Sheriff Scott Pattison sentenced Duffy to 300 hours’ unpaid work. He will be supervised by social workers for two years and is banned from accessing any social networking sites, buying computer equipment or downloading software.

He said: “This is extremely concerning behaviour and I can only imagine the stress and trauma caused by these posts.”

Duffy refused to comment as he left court yesterday.

After the sentencing, procurator fiscal Andrew Richardson said: “The cruel and callous actions of Sean Duffy added to what was already a very distressing and traumatic time for people trying to come to terms with the loss of a loved one.

“Online behaviour such as this is deplorable and unacceptable. We will take a rigorous and firm approach to any such vile offences, ensuring criminals like Sean Duffy are prosecuted.”