Midlands man hauled before courts over 'unacceptable' Tweets

Police officers found 'machetes, fireworks and material matching the images he’d posted online' when they raided Richard Britton's home

A Staffordshire man has admitted posting threatening and racist messages on social media.

Richard Britton, from Wombourne in South Staffordshire, used his Twitter account to show 'anti-Islamic, racist and anti-immigration sentiments' police said.

He also used threatening language and shared images of weapons online and encouraged others to do the same.

Twitter, now known as X, suspended his account.

Read more: Graphic WhatsApp chat by Islamic State terror group uncovered

He was arrested during a pre-planned operation on 26 April 2023.

And following a search of his address, weapons - including machetes, were recovered, which matched those featuring in his social media posts.

Initially, the 31-year-old denied two counts of publishing or distributing threatening, abusive or insulting material between February and March 2023.

But he then pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday (May 21). Britton will be sentenced on Friday, July 25.

Detective Superintendent Annie Miller, from Counter Terrorism Policing in the West Midlands who investigated, said: “When we searched Britton’s address following his arrest, we found machetes, fireworks and material matching the images he’d posted online.

“Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live, work and visit the wider West Midlands area."

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Staffordshire Police urged the public to come forward if they ‘see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts and ACT by reporting to police in confidence at gov.uk/ACT’.

A spokeswoman said: “Every year thousands of reports from the public help police tackle the terrorist threat.

“Reporting won’t ruin lives, but it could save them. Action Counters Terrorism. Remember, in an emergency, always dial 999.”