Trolls who post offensive comments or threaten to rape and murder others online could face up to two years in prison – quadruple the previous maximum sentence.
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling said the plan was born out of a determination to ‘take a stand against a baying cyber-mob’.
This week, Chloe Madeley was threatened with rape by trolls after stepping in to defend her mother Judy Finnigan’s controversial comments about footballer and convicted rapist Ched Evans.
The Justice Secretary told the Mail on Sunday: ‘These internet trolls are cowards who are poisoning our national life.
‘No-one would permit such venom in person, so there should be no place for it on social media. That is why we are determined to quadruple the current six-month sentence.’
‘As the terrible case of Chloe Madeley showed last week, people are being abused online in the most crude and degrading fashion.
‘We must send out a clear message: if you troll you risk being behind bars for two years.’
MORE : Online trolling and sorry excuses – why GamerGate needs to stop
Under the current law, people who subject their victims to sexually offensive, verbally abusive or threatening material on the internet can only be prosecuted in magistrates’ courts under the Malicious Communications Act, which carries a maximum prison sentence of six months.
But the new measures will allow magistrates to pass on serious cases to the crown courts, where offenders would face a maximum of two years behind bars.
The change will be made as an amendment to the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill currently going through Parliament.
Share this with