Ex-PSNI cop fined over 'toxic campaign of online homophobic hate abuse' towards serving officer
A former police officer who subjected a serving officer to a “toxic campaign of online homophobic hate” has been fined £2,000.
In addition to the fine handed down to former firearms officer Gordon Downey, District Judge Peter King also ordered the 53-year-old to pay £500 compensation to his victim Paul Bloomer.
Const Bloomer, who has risen to prominence in recent years as the co-chair of the PSNI LGBT+ Network, was also given the benefit of a three-year “protection from harassment” order.
Just before he was due to contest a raft of charges last month Downey, whose address is not being used, entered an 11th hour guilty plea to a single charge of harassing Const Bloomer on dates between August 27, 2022 and October 17 last year.
Downey, who was previously awarded £10,000 by an employment tribunal for hurt feelings and loss of earnings after he was temporarily transferred from Armed Response Unit because he refused to shave his beard, admitted that he “pursued a course of conduct” which amounted to the harassment of Paul Bloomer.
It is understood the charge centred on a multiplicity of messages Downey posted to online social media accounts and sentencing Downey at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Friday, May 9, Judge King told him his behaviour had “significantly crossed the line” of what was acceptable.
"Your right to free speech does not give you a licence to behave in this manner,” the judge told Downey, adding that given the contents of the Victim Impact Statement the effect on Const. Bloomer was clear.
Judge King said that “thankfully this case was no more than keyboard warrior” but he warned that the court “has to send out a message that this sort of offending will have an impact.”
Describing Downey’s online actions as “lunacy,” the judge said that in all the circumstances however, given Downey’s guilty plea, character references and a letter of apology the defendant had penned himself, “the appropriate disposal is a financial one”.
In a statement released after the case, PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said: “Today’s sentencing follows an investigation into the harassment of a serving PSNI officer who was subject to a toxic campaign of online homophobic hate abuse over a prolonged period of time.
"I hope this sentencing serves as a clear warning to those who wrongly feel that online abuse and harassment can be justified as ‘freedom of expression and speech.
"I want to acknowledge the determination and resilience of our colleague who stood up and stood firm in the face of this abuse to see justice done.”
Speaking after the sentencing, Paul Bloomer said the abuse left him feeling that he “had nowhere safe” and it caused him “significant harm”.
"I was targeted because I’m a queer person who stood up to advocate for the rights of LGBTQ people to be included and respected by policing institutions. Trans and non-binary people are some of the most vulnerable and marginalised people in society, standing up for them has been the honour of my life. Despite what I’ve been through I’ll never change my stance on defending marginalised and vulnerable people.
"Hate must always be opposed. In Northern Ireland we have had enough of hate, it has no place here anymore.”