Peter Copeland’s four-month prison sentence was suspended for 18 months (Picture: PA)

Sunderland supporter Peter Copeland, 29, was jailed for four months after pleading guilty to two offences under the Malicious Communications Act, but District Judge Roger Elsey suspended the sentence for 18 months.

Sunderland Magistrates’ Court had heard how Copeland, who is unemployed and lives with his parents in West Rainton, Durham, had been arguing with a Newcastle United fan on Twitter.

But the banter between rival fans became criminal when Copeland tweeted a racist comment about Newcastle’s Senegalese striker Ba.

He then followed up the tweet with another offensive message suggesting there were too many black players in the Newcastle team.

District Judge Elsey said the four-month sentence was warranted because of the ‘grossly offensive’ racist comments, but that it would be suspended for 18 months because Copeland, who will also carry out 150 hours of unpaid work and pay £85 costs, had pleaded guilty and ‘deeply regretted’ his actions.

‘I hope you understand you must never again use racist abuse of this nature,’ the judge added.

The offensive tweets, which prompted up to 60 people to respond, were reported to Northumbria police by journalist Colin George, the multimedia editor of the Newcastle Chronicle and Journal.

‘I was absolutely disgusted by the racist content of the messages I read on Twitter,’ he said in a statement to the court.

Ruth Forster, for the defence, said Copeland now realised ‘the stupidity’ of his comments.

She also called for the remarks to be treated in the context in which they were made; between rival football fans.

‘This kind of behaviour has to be stopped, it is not acceptable but I do ask you not to make a scapegoat of Mr Copeland,’ Ms Forster said.

I was waiting outside of the courtroom with my two witnesses, Ian and Mick, and the pig who’d been photographed with me, but who hadn’t arrested me, didn’t seem to recognise who I was.

I was called in to see my Barrister and she asked me if I had any information which could help my case. I stressed that I had been arrested by two officers, an Inspector and a Sergeant, and that the young PC credited with my arrest had actually been sitting in the van I was thrown into after being dragged there by the two officers. I also said he was sitting outside and I had the feeling he didn’t know who I was. A man got up and left the room. My Barrister, a very clever woman, told me the police had offered to reduce the charge if I pleaded guilty. I refused on principle, but also because I had a very clear photograph of the two officers dragging me to the van, which I gave her.

Inside the courtroom I was very nervous and sat facing the bench. On the right there was a diagram of the alleged crime scene at Wearmouth Colliery. The young PC was called as the first and only witness for the prosecution, and was asked if he could identify the defendant in court. What a bloody joke! Of course he could bloody recognise me because I was sitting where defendants bloody sit! He then gave his version of what happened on the morning of September 5th, 1984, using the diagram to illustrate his points. According to him I had been at the head of a large body of pickets, lashing out at the police with feet and fists and behaving like a violent thug. He said that I had viciously attacked an Inspector, knocking him to the ground before leaping on him and grabbing him round the throat, trying to throttle him. The young PC then heroically arrested me by shoving my right arm up my back and leading me to the van where he put me inside. When he’d finished the Magistrate looked as if he was just about to have me hung. I was totally stunned.

My Barrister went straight onto the attack and asked if the ‘assaulted’ Inspector was in the court? He wasn’t. She then asked for his name and the young PC nervously admitted he didn’t know it. She began to pour scorn on his evidence, suggesting that if his statement were to be believed, I had seriously assaulted a senior police officer who was not in court and couldn’t be named. Surely the charge against me should have been serious assault, if not attempted murder instead of a mere ‘Breach of the Peace’. The young PC was gobsmacked and unable to explain any of it.

My Barrister then went straight for the throat and said,’I would remind you officer that you are on oath and that perjury is a very serious crime’. She then asked him if it was not true that when a colleague of hers had asked the PC, before court started, ‘Have you seen Norman Strike,it’s urgent? you replied,’I wouldn’t know him if I saw him’. The young PC stuttered that he hadn’t said that exactly, but she cut him short by reminding him again that he was still under oath. He then admitted that he had said that but added that I was definitely the man he had arrested because he recognised my face! She said that he could have seen me lots of times on previous days and he was forced to admit that was possible. She told the Magistrate that there was insufficient evidence to prove the charge against me and that it should be dropped. The Magistrate did some whispering and then, reluctantly it seemed to me, dismissed the case. Brilliant!

I thanked the Barrister and young colleague for their help and asked if there was any chance of me suing the police for wrongful arrest and imprisonment. She advised me to be content with my escape and not too push the police too far. It wouldn’t be a good move. Perhaps not but it would give me a lot of personal satisfaction. How could the police stand up in court, under oath, and blatantly lie and get away with it? British Justice Thatcher style.

As I was being congratulated by Ian and Mick, the young PC wished me and my family a very merry xmas, and added he was glad I got off! I couldn’t believe my ears. If he’d been believed I might have been spending xmas behind bars! Then he accused my barrister of using dirty tricks to trap him! I wanted to punch him but didn’t want any more grief so I just thanked him for confirming that the pigs are liars and cannot be trusted, and walked off with the lads to celebrate.

Justice 1984.

The Labour Party Conference opened today and Scargill got a standing ovation. He was also served with a writ from the High Court that threatens him with jail if he won’t comply. He says he won’t, and he also criticised the pigs for their disgraceful part in trying to defeat us. Standing ovations are fine but it’s the support of the TUC we need, not bloody empty hand clapping!

The situation at home is terrible, with Kath in a deep depression because she’s lost her job. Nothing I say does any good; she just sits and mopes. Hopefully she will get over it and find another job, though with unemployment rife she is going to find it hard. At least we’re still together and perhaps now she can get more involved in the strike.

The latest round of talks between the NUM and the NCB look ready to break down again. In my opinion there’s no point in talking to the bastards until we have them by the balls!

Fabric celebrates it’s 9th year and you could be there. The line up is awesome as expected with a huge line up awesome DJ’s on the 17th and 18th October.

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OPENING HOURS: 10pm-6am

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ROOM ONE: Craig Richards, Terry Francis, Luciano, Shinedoe, Martin Buttrich (LIVE), Ralph Lawson ROOM TWO: Robert Hood, Baby Ford, Mark Broom, Soul Designer (LIVE) ROOM THREE: Omar S, Patrice Scott, Keith Worthy

If you fancy going along for Friday and you’re not lucky enough to win get tickets on: 0870 0600 100 or
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£16/£12 (Students/fabricfirst Members; £8 for all from 4am, £5 from 5am.

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Fabric celebrates it’s 9th year and you could be there. The line up is awesome as expected with a huge line up awesome DJ’s on the 17th and 18th October.

17 OCTOBER FABRICLIVE.

OPENING HOURS: 10pm-6am

ROOM ONE: WhoMadeWho (LIVE), Plump DJs, Filthy Dukes, Krafty Kuts, Ali B ROOM TWO: DJ Hype, Andy C, Fabio, Dillinja, Instra:Mental, Macpherson MCs GQ, Rage & 2 Shy ROOM THREE: Tayo, Toddla T, Martelo, Joe Ransom, Squeak E Clean (N.A.S.A.), Patchwork Pirates

If you fancy going along for Friday and you’re not lucky enough to win get tickets on: 0870 0600 100 or
http://www.fabriclondon.com
10pm-6am £15/12 Students/fabricfirst Members before 3am, £8 for all after.

18 OCTOBER Fabric

!! OPENING HOURS: 11pm-MIDDAY !!

ROOM ONE: Craig Richards, Terry Francis, Luciano, Shinedoe, Martin Buttrich (LIVE), Ralph Lawson ROOM TWO: Robert Hood, Baby Ford, Mark Broom, Soul Designer (LIVE) ROOM THREE: Omar S, Patrice Scott, Keith Worthy

If you fancy going along for Friday and you’re not lucky enough to win get tickets on: 0870 0600 100 or
http://www.fabriclondon.com
£16/£12 (Students/fabricfirst Members; £8 for all from 4am, £5 from 5am.

_____________________________________________

For your chance to win these fabulous tickets click here

The competition closes Thursday at 3pm.

Please make sure you have registered a valid phone number on your Metro.co.uk account so we can contact you should you win.

Entrants must be over 18. The usual Metro rules apply.

A deadline of 2009 had been set for metric measures to finally replace Britain’s traditional imperial measures but that has now been shelved following a change of heart at the European Commission.

Both the Conservative Party and the Metric Martyrs campaign group say they have won the battle to keep Britain imperial.

Conservative industry spokesman, Giles Chichester MEP, said that he had received confirmation from the European Commission’s Industry Commissioner Gunther Verheugen that dual marking of goods in imperial and metric will “continue indefinitely”.

He said that following lobbying by the Conservatives, Mr Verheugen agreed that it was good news for British and European industry to keep imperial measurements as it would make it easier for firms to sell to the United States.

Mr Chichester said: “After saving the crown on the British pint, I am happy the Conservatives have persuaded the Commission that it is good not only for international business but for the British people that traditional measurements are kept.

“I just hope there won’t be any more need for Metric Martyrs and that the Government will avoid forcing metrication down the public’s throat.”

Commissioner Verheugen told the Industry, Research and Energy Committee on May 2 that he will no longer back a ban on imperial measures which was due to start in 2009.

A spokeswoman for the commissioner said in the course of recent consultation, respondents successfully made the case to be allowed to use imperial measures – “supplementary indications” – alongside metric beyond 2009.

As a result, Commissioner Verheugen was expected to put the amendment forward to colleagues later this year.

She said: “His intention is to propose that in simple terms the use of supplementary indications would be granted an indefinite extension.”

The Metric Martyrs campaign was set up to highlight the case of Sunderland greengrocer Steven Thoburn who was prosecuted for selling his produce by the pound.

Mr Thoburn was convicted at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court six years ago of using scales that could not weigh in metric units at his Southwick greengrocer’s shop.

He died in March 2004, aged 39, just days after learning his appeal to the European Court of Human Rights had been rejected.

Metric Martyrs campaign director, and former fishmonger, Neil Herron, called for a posthumous pardon for Mr Thoburn.

Mr Herron said: “This is a monumental victory for the Metric Martyrs and all who have supported the campaign.

“It has been people power that has forced the European Commission and the Government to abandon the enforced metrication programme.

“We have saved the pint, the mile, the yard, and the foot, as well as pounds and ounces.

“We have stood toe to toe with the Government and the EU and won and shown others that you can stop the tide of EU legislation.

“Steve Thoburn was the man who drew the line in the sand.

“All that remains now for the campaign is to insist on a royal pardon to quash the criminal conviction that Steve took with him to the grave.

“He should never have been prosecuted and all the authorities knew that it should never have happened.

“The public had never wanted or asked for imperial measures to be abolished and no political party had ever put it in their manifesto that they intended to criminalise the use of imperial measures.

“The name of Steve Thoburn will be chiselled into the pages of the history books.

“The day they seized his scales was the beginning of the end of the EU.”

Mr Herron said that following intense lobbying by the Metric Martyrs campaign and excellent work with US business by the British Weights and Measures Association, Mr Verheugen agreed that imperial measurements are “good for business”.