Katie Price slams ‘vile’ Harvey Price video as man is cleared of sharing clip

A man who had been charged with sending by public communication network an offensive message after allegedly sharing a clip mocking Harvey price, has been cleared in court.

Philip Lewer said that he shared the video – in which he does not appear – on Twitter on November last year and JPs found that he did so as a "joke" without intending to cause offence, The Mirror reported.

Harvey's mother Katie Price went to Hastings Magistrates Court on Thursday morning (June 10) to give evidence in relation to the case.

Katie, 43, went to court wearing a Harvey's Law t-shirt emblazoned with the words "online trolls should be prosecuted", and said that the offending clip was the "most vile video".

She was joined by fiancé Carl Woods, who wore a similar black and yellow t-shirt calling for trolls to be prosecuted under Harvey's Law.

The defendant, 52, was arrested 10 hours after a video was posted online, on suspicion of sending public communication network an offensive/indecent/obscene/menacing message.

The clip, from November, showed an unidentified woman seemingly pretending to be Katie and asking a man in blackface: "If someone says something horrible to Harvey, what do we say?"

  • Katie Price slams mum-shamers for 'hurting her' with criticism of her parenting skills

  • Katie Price 'having three colonic irrigations a week' to aid digestive woes

The unidentified man, who was allegedly mocking Harvey and his disabilities, responds: "Hello you c***s."

Neither of the people featured in the video were Mr Lewer.

Speaking from the witness box in court on Thursday, Katie reportedly said of the video: "This one I found absolutely disgusting, because they managed to paint the colour of their skin, clearly being racist.

"They mimicked how he speaks and they are doing the eye movement.

"They are mocking me and him together. He can't defend himself."

The court was told that Mr Lewer shared the video on Twitter after someone else made it.

It was then retweeted 46 times, quote-tweeted 369 times and liked 107 times.

Speaking of his decision to share the clip, when asked my Prosecutor Elizabeth Green, Mr Lewer said: "It was the half-a***d way they went about it – she has a push-up bra and is caked in fake tan and he is blacked-up."

Like what you see? Then fill your boots…

There's MUCH more where that came from! Want all the jaw-dropping stories from the world of showbiz and up to the minute news from TV and soaps?

Well, we've got you covered with our showbiz, TV and soaps newsletters – they'll drop straight into your inbox and you can unsubscribe whenever you like.

We'll bring you the inside track from telly expert Ed Gleave and soap specialist Sasha Morris. Oh, and your daily fix of Piers, Katie Price, Demi Rose and all your other Daily Star favs.

You can sign up here – you won't regret it…

He cited the Loose Women segment on which it was based and said it would "go down in history" and that the man in the video was "playing a character badly".

He added that it had been a "very chastening experience" and he wanted to apologise, but reportedly also said: "I didn't find it offensive. I didn't think people would be offended."

Mr Lewer reportedly told police when he was arrested: "It's just a tweet, a tweet. I can just delete the tweet. I was sent the link on WhatsApp."

Since the arrest, Katie has been campaigning to have the anonymity surrounding social media removed, so that trolls can be tracked down.

At the time, she wrote: "I've been sent this disgusting, racist mockery-taking video about me and Harvey mocking his disabilities, clearly planned hence the face-painting.

"Does anybody know these disgusting humans as I will be reporting to the police #Harvey'sLaw.

"Words cannot describe how upset I am, this is so cruel. These people need reporting."

The mum-of-five has been campaigning to have Harvey's Law introduced, which would make online abuse a specific offence.

She has also been campaigning for the creation of a register that offenders would have to sign, which would be available to people such as potential employers in the future.

Katie's spokeswoman said: "A blow to both Harvey and Katie who is actively seeking for there to be changes made in the law. Track a Troll & Harvey’s Law.

"Trolling is and never will be expectable – especially when these people pray on our most vulnerable loved ones."

  • Katie Price
  • Harvey Price

Source: Read Full Article

Previous post UK weather LIVE: How long will heatwave last and will we see 30C temperatures over the weekend? Latest forecast updates
Next post Russell Westbrook Announces Short Film ‘Why Not?’ With Jordan Brand and The Incubation Lab (EXCLUSIVE)