Northampton Man Spared Jail Over Online Death Threat to Lucy Connolly
A social media user who posted a violent house arson threat targeting Lucy Connolly escapes jail sentence following a Crown Court hearing in Birmingham…
A Northampton man who posted a violent threat on social media targeting jailed childminder Lucy Connolly has been spared immediate custody & handed a 12-month community order.
Jake Newman, 35, of Kingsley Road, Northampton, was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court by His Honour Judge A Smith KC after changing his plea to guilty ahead of his planned trial.
The court heard that on 22 August 2025, Newman posted a comment beneath a Northampton Chronicle Facebook article regarding Connolly’s impending release from prison, stating: "Time to treat her house the way she wanted hotels treated, just make sure she's in it and not able to get out."
Northamptonshire Police officers arrested Newman at his home address later that same day after the post was reported to authorities.
During police interviews, Newman admitted writing the comment but claimed he had no intention of causing alarm or distress, or inciting others to carry out violent acts.
Connolly was jailed for two years & seven months in 2024 after pleading guilty to inciting racial hatred by calling for hotels housing asylum seekers to be set on fire following the Southport stabbings.
In mitigation, defence advocate Diane Mundill told the court that Newman was scrolling on his phone whilst awaiting medication during a period of high anxiety, adding that he has since demonstrated positive progress & greater insight into his actions.
The court heard that Newman suffers from the effects of an acquired brain injury, which contributes to impulsivity, & despite holding previous convictions loosely related to internet misuse, he was assessed by probation services as posing a low risk of reoffending.
Sentencing Newman, Judge Smith KC stated that he had committed a dangerous & potentially very risky criminal act, noting that whilst Newman may not have wished Connolly to feel fear, he was reckless as to whether she would fear the threat of death or serious harm.
Accepting that Newman had shown genuine remorse, Judge Smith KC imposed a 12-month community order with a probation requirement under the Malicious Communications Act, warning the defendant that failure to comply with the terms would result in imprisonment.
