On September 25th 2012 the English Judiciary in the form of the Fareham Magistrates Court drove another nail in the “Freedom of Speech” coffin for England and Wales.

On this date a 73 year old grandmother, Mrs Margaret Walker, was given an indefinite, lifetime, Antisocial Behaviour Order under which she is forbidden to send, post or deliver any form of ‘foul or abusive’ correspondence to any address in England and Wales which will cause alarm, distress or harass the recipient.

She must state her name and address on all correspondence.

She was further ordered to pay £5,000 toward costs for the hearing.

In delivering the order Fareham magistrate Gordon Burlinson ruled the letters amounted to ‘hate speech’ and Mrs Walker could not rely on her human rights of freedom of expression.