Ex-Soldier Jailed Over Anti-Islamic Facebook Posts

Daffron Williams, a 41-year-old former soldier from Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has been sentenced to prison for publishing a series of anti-Islamic messages on Facebook. Williams wrote in one post: “Civil war is here. The only thing missing is bullets, that’s the next step.” Cardiff Crown Court was informed that the veteran, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD, shared these messages both before and after three girls were fatally stabbed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport in July, an incident that triggered riots. Williams admitted guilt to the charge of stirring up racial hatred and received a two-year sentence. Half of this term will be served in prison, with the remainder spent on licence. Prosecutor Alex Orndal stated that South Wales Police initiated an investigation after two separate reports from members of the public regarding the content of Williams’s Facebook page. Orndal explained, “These were open Facebook posts meaning any member of the public could view his comments.” In one post, Williams claimed he is only racist “to those who suck the life out of our culture. As a culture we are too nice and soft.” He added, “They want us to be Islamic, that’s why they are here.” In another post, he wrote: “Come on guys, it’s time to stand up. Everything our ancestors, our grandparents and parents fought for is gone, don’t be scared.” Two days after the stabbings in Southport, Williams uploaded several AI-generated images. One depicted a child dressed as a medieval knight carrying a sword next to a lion, with the caption: “Time to wake up the lion to save our children’s future”. Another AI image showed a man wearing what was described in court as “traditional Islamic clothing” with a large knife held over his head. A third image portrayed a group of men in traditional Islamic dress chasing a crying child in a Union flag t-shirt in front of the Houses of Parliament. Defending Williams, John Allchurch stated that his client continues to suffer from PTSD due to his military service in Afghanistan and Iraq. Williams was referred to NHS Veterans Wales but was unable to complete a 16-week course because of the Covid outbreak. Mr. Allchurch further explained that his client experienced multiple traumatic events between 2004 and 2011, including close combat during his military service. The court heard that Williams spent time on remand at HMP Swansea, where he undertook courses, including modules on diversity. He was commended in a letter from a prison tutor for his “positive attitude and high degree of integrity”. He was also praised for his interaction with other inmates on courses for his “excellent communication skills and his great ability to interact with team mates”. He was described as “a positive role model”. Williams has four previous convictions for seven offences, including three for drink driving and one conviction by a Military Court for drunkenness. During sentencing, Judge Lloyd-Clarke acknowledged the references and Williams’s military background, telling him: “People speak very well of you, you have served your country and community.” Judge Lloyd-Clarke also noted his mental ill health but stated that his actions were serious and had crossed the custody threshold. The judge added: “Your references to war and bullets indicates your intention to incite serious violence. You knew exactly what you were doing, your posts were intentional.”