UK Mum Who Branded Man Who Assaulted Her A ‘F*****’ In Text Message Charged With Hate Crime

An assault victim has been convicted of a hate crime after she called her attacker a “f*****” in text messages while ranting about being beaten up.

While in hospital, Elizabeth Kinney, 34, texted her friend to vent about the attack and referred to the man who assaulted her as the F-word.

Her friend reported her to police for homophobia and Kinney was charged with malicious communications offences.

At Sefton magistrates court, mum-of-four Kinney, from Tranmere, pleaded guilty but insisted her words were a ‘thoughtless rant’ and that she was not attacking anyone’s sexuality.

Judicial officials ruled her remark was ‘homophobic’ and gave her a 12 month community order.

She was also ordered to undertake 72 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days and pay £364 in costs and surcharge.

None of the messages were read out in court or reported in MailOnline, which is a shame as it would be good to get the full context for ourselves.

In mitigation, Kinney’s lawyer Simon Simmonds said: ‘There had been an incident and in the text conversation Miss Kinney sends photos of her quite badly injured.

‘She had to attend hospital. She was effectively ranting and there is not much coming back.

‘In terms of motivation and hostility, I do not suppose there was much thought process other than unloading a lot off her chest.

‘She was simply upset about what had happened to her.

‘There is reference to another male they had both been connected to and this led to an incident not before the court that Miss Kinney was the victim of.

‘It all sounds ridiculous and childish and she is quite embarrassed to read them in the cold light of day.

‘Though she used the words “f****t” they were not being used against a person’s sexuality.

‘They were simply words used without any thought to get it off her chest.

‘There was no planning, no targeting, just a response to something that has happened to her – getting something off her chest.’

JP Robert Waugh was not having it, however, as he sentenced Kinney and said: ‘We accept that it may have been made in a rant but nevertheless they were made.’

Whether there should be any legal punishment for texting the word “f*****” is up for debate (I suspect most people think it’s extremely harsh), but what’s really crazy about this story is the backstabbing friend who went and grassed Kinney up about it. Especially after she’d just been beaten up and was texting from hospital! That is some diabolical behaviour right there.

How will Elizabeth Kinney ever trust another person again? Best to not text any racial or homophobic slurs from now on, I reckon. Just to be on the safe side.

For the British teacher who took his own life after being sacked for making a ‘homophobic’ joke, click HERE.