UK Appeal Quashes Conviction of Man Found Guilty of Sending a “Grossly Offensive” Email to Local Politician

In the UK, the Court of Appeal has taken a stance on what constitutes "malicious communications" - and when speech should not be construed as such, because it is part of a political debate.

The appellate court ruling in R (Crown) v. Thomas Casserly overturned the first instance judgment that found a man guilty of violating the 1988 Malicious Communications Act.

And that was because his "indecent or grossly offensive" email sent to a councilor was part of a political exchange.

The case goes back to the spring of 2022 when Thomas Cesserly was found guilty of sending the email, while his intent was found to be "to cause distress or anxiety contrary (...) to the Malicious Communications Act 1988."

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