A 42-year-old British childminder, Lucy Connolly, was sentenced to 31 months in prison for a social media post supporting mass deportations following a mass stabbing in Southport. The post, published on X and deleted within hours, led to Connolly’s conviction under the Public Order Act for inciting racial hatred.
Connolly, described by local families as a respected caregiver to children of various ethnic backgrounds, was arrested at her home while caring for children after she called for “mass deportation,” and said “set fire to all the f-cking hotels full of the bastards for all I care,” adding, “If that makes me racist, so be it.” The post was soon after deleted but police argued it was available for at least three and a half hours.
The stabbing, which involved a man of migrant background, resulted in the deaths of three girls and injuries to eight others during a Taylor Swift-themed event. Connolly’s post, made in reaction to the killings, was cited by authorities as inflammatory. Despite deleting it soon after, she was arrested and ultimately pleaded guilty, reportedly in hopes of receiving a reduced sentence. However, the plea did not mitigate the outcome.
Lucy Connolly is currently serving a 31-month sentence for a post in support of mass deportations after a migrant went on a stabbing spree in the U.K.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) April 6, 2025
She was just denied temporary leave to see her 12-year-old daughter and sick husband.
JD Vance was right again. pic.twitter.com/4ZI4Axh7kb
Connolly’s personal history includes significant trauma. In 2011, she lost her 19-month-old son Harry due to medical failures, an event that left her with PTSD. Her family and supporters argue this context should have been considered in sentencing.
Her husband, Ray Connolly, a Conservative local councillor, has criticized the government’s handling of the case. He contrasted his wife’s treatment with that of a Labour councillor who reportedly called for violence at a rally and was released on bail.
Ricky Jones, the suspended Labour councillor, was charged with inciting violent disorder following a speech he delivered to a crowd in Walthamstow on August 7 last year.
The speech, which quickly went viral online, featured Jones referring to “disgusting Nazi fascists” and stating, “We need to cut their throats and get rid of them.”
Labour councillor Ricky Jones has a message for the “far-right” protesters: “We need to cut all their throats and get rid of them all.”
— iamyesyouareno (@iamyesyouareno) August 8, 2024
*CROWD CHEERS*
The media deemed this “mostly peaceful”. pic.twitter.com/NHCvHcecHO
Initially held in custody after the charges were filed, Jones has since been released on bail, according to reports.
To make matters worse, requests for Connolly’s temporary release to support her family have been denied, with authorities citing concerns over public perception despite reports of good behaviour in custody and a low risk of reoffending.
Allison Pearson, columnist at The Daily Telegraph, recently wrote on the arrest, noting: “As I write this, that woman is not only serving a sentence many legal experts consider to be outrageously harsh, but is being denied the opportunity for time at home with her family which is granted to jail mates around her who are guilty of actual physical harm. ‘You’ve upset a lot of people, Lucy,’ one probation officer explained when she asked why she was being denied ROTL (Release on Temporary Licence).”
Lucy is one of more than 1,500 people arrested “in connection” with “social unrest” following the Southport massacre. International concern over the case, and similar cases, continues to grow, with critics highlighting the implications for freedom of speech and a fear of a growing two-tiered system of justice that sees native Britons receiving harsher penalties than those of non-White, migrant background.
