Bigoted YouTuber Convicted of Inciting Racial Hatred

A bigoted YouTuber isn't quite so cocky tonight, having been convicted of inciting racial hatred during a livestream from a Stockport migrant hotel.

Aaron Johnson, 32, of Criterion Street, North Reddish, Stockport, admitted an offence of distributing a recording intending thereby to stir up racial hatred when he appeared in custody at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 7th August 2024.

Distributing a recording with the intent of stirring up racial hatred is an offence under section 21 of the Public Order Act 1986. The maximum penalty is 7 years' custody and/or an unlimited fine on conviction on indictment; 26 weeks' custody and/or an unlimited fine on summary conviction.

Johnson is engaged in the moronic pursuit of social media auditing, which I have previously written about. For anyone unfamiliar with this most odious of activities, the general gist is that an "auditor" attends a particular venue; deliberately makes a nuisance of themself with a view to attracting attention; films the resulting interaction; and uploads the footage to YouTube in the hope of making a few easy shekels.

I shall not identify Johnson's YouTube channel, other than to say it has around 21,000 subscribers - the majority of whom, I am sure, are equally moronic. The video from which his conviction arises was watched live by around 2,000 of his sheeple.

Johnson broadcast the 25 minutes of footage from a Southport migrant hotel on the evening of Monday, 5th August 2024. The video, which has now attracted more than 35,000 views, remains on his channel as he was arrested at the scene has not been home since (spoiler alert: and won't be for some time yet).

Doing the prosecution's work for it, the 32-year-old filmed himself snooping around the hotel in the dead of night, peering into guest's rooms through chinks in the curtains and shouting profanities through open windows. All the while he was delivering a stream of racist commentary to his live viewers.

A man of Asian appearance opened a ground floor window to see what the commotion was outside. Johnson greeted him "welcome to fucking Britain", before accusing him of sinister intent.

Returning to the front of the hotel Johnson prophetically told the camera: "I'm going to wait for the fucking police to turn up, because they will turn up."

On hearing the approach of sirens, he added: "This is the police. I couldn't give a fuck really."

For the remaining 10 minutes of the video Johnson continued ranting at the camera, directing racist abuse at YouTube commentators in disagreement with his criminal actions.

He returned to the rear of the hotel where he was confronted by a member of staff and a resident, who he directed further racial slurs towards. He point blank refused to leave the hotel property, saying: "Ring the police, I don't give a fuck... I'm a taxpayer, I pay for this, I'll do what I fucking want."

The police attended, identified Johnson as the subject of the complaint and arrested him when he refused to provide any details.

Having considered the circumstances, District Judge Jane Hamilton was of the view that the Magistrates' Court's sentencing powers were insufficient to deal with Johnson's offence.

Addressing Johnson, the Judge said: "You were taking pictures through the window of people who were trying to sleep and also made reference to the children who were murdered in Southport. That had nothing to do with asylum seekers or anybody else.

"The male who did that was born in this country. There was no reason whatsoever for this offence to occur."

Johnson was remanded in custody until his sentencing at Manchester Crown Court (Minshull Street) on Wednesday, 21st August 2024.

I would expect a significant custodial sentence to follow - and fully justified too given Johnson's horrific racist bile.

Update (22/8/24): Johnson appeared for sentencing before HHJ Maurice Greene on 21st August. It would appear Johnson thought he would represent himself at the hearing. The judge adjourned sentencing until 19th September, so that he could seek further legal advice and representation. Johnson is remanded in custody until that date.