A woman who branded travellers “filthy thieves” online has been fined £300.
Susanne Elliott yesterday (January 18) admitted posting threatening and abusive comments on a Facebook page discussing a group of travellers.
The court was told Elliott, of Newland Road, Upper Beeding, near Steyning, had described a group of camping travellers as “scum”.
In defence Elliott said she insulted travellers because they were such a nuisance in Sussex, where she has lived for 25 years.
The case was heard at Stonehaven Sheriff Court, near Aberdeen, in Scotland, where the travellers’ camp was located.
The 65-year-old offender wept in the dock as fiscal depute Sandy Hutchison, prosecuting, read out the comment she had posted online.
Mr Hutchison said: “There was a website on which a number of comments were posted and in particular a comment Elliot had posted.
“She said: ‘These scum need to be moved out now or there will be big problems.
“‘I lived in Sussex for 25 years and they are of plague proportions down there."
Elliott made the comments between February 10 and 26 last year.
Steven Gauld, defending, told the court Elliott had been going through a “tough time” after learning |her grandchild had been diagnosed with a muscle-wasting disease.
He said: “She is not overly familiar with the social networking site and did not realise she could have e-mailed the administrator to remove the comment for her.”
Sheriff Philip Hammond fined her £300 and said: “These were unacceptable, intolerable and defamatory comments which can entice disorder in those who read them.
“You should know better at your age.”
After the hearing Elliott said: “I’m glad it’s all over and done with. I shouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
Her husband Benjamin said: “She just got a bit carried away.
“It’s all sorted now. It’s no big problem.”
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