A father-of-four has been sentenced to 20 months in jail for threatening to burn down every mosque in Newcastle during the summer riots. James Aspin, aged 34, from Briardale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, posted a “hugely offensive and dangerous” four-minute TikTok video on August 8, shortly after the tragic murder of three girls in Southport. With 921 followers on the platform, Aspin admitted he was intoxicated when he recorded the video and pleaded guilty to distributing a recording intended to incite racial hatred at Newcastle Crown Court.
During sentencing, Judge Carolyn Scott described Aspin’s video as highly inflammatory and harmful. “The wording used by you in that TikTok video was hugely offensive and dangerous,” she said. “You accused people who practice Islam of being primarily responsible for heinous crimes committed in this country and made despicable remarks about asylum seekers. You also stated that you and others at a planned march in Newcastle would burn down every mosque in Newcastle.”
Following his arrest, Aspin told authorities, “No-one can say anything these days.” The judge highlighted that the video was released amid widespread violence in the country and was intended to provoke others to act.
Judge Scott noted mitigating factors, including Aspin’s ADHD diagnosis, his expressed remorse, and his guilty plea. However, she emphasized that the severity of the offense warranted a custodial sentence. “The words used by you on your TikTok post are not and should not be tolerated. Such statements can and sometimes do lead to actions that have a significant impact on the lives of others,” she said.
As of October 3, at least 388 individuals had been imprisoned for their involvement in the violent unrest during the summer, according to the Ministry of Justice. Riots erupted in late July following the deaths of three young girls in an attack on a Taylor Swift dance class in Southport. The violence, fueled by far-right rioters, targeted mosques and involved racist slogans over several consecutive days of unrest.
