Updated July 14, 2017 08:52:03

Photo: Rhodri Philipps was convicted on two counts of sending a menacing public communication. (AP: David Mirzoeff)

A British aristocrat has been sentenced to 12 weeks in jail for racially aggravated threats to a woman who mounted a legal challenge to the Government's plans to trigger Brexit.

Rhodri Philipps, who inherited the title viscount from his father, offered $8,400 on Facebook to anyone who "accidentally" ran over Gina Miller, whom he described as a "bloody troublesome first generation immigrant".

"If this is what we should expect from immigrants, send them back to their stinking jungles," he wrote.

Ms Miller received death threats after her campaign to force the Government to get parliamentary approval for withdrawal from the European Union.

The legal suit succeeded in ensuring a parliamentary vote but has not stopped Brexit going ahead.

Ms Miller said the sentence was too lenient and Philipps should have been charged with a more serious crime, such as inciting racial violence, which would have sent a stronger message to online abusers.

"I think the severity of an attempt to have me killed is much more than just a malicious communication," she said.

"There was this apprehension that somehow this case would open the floodgates. But I think the floodgates should be opened, because people are crossing the lines of decency."

Photo: Gina Miller speaks outside the High Court following its ruling. (Reuters: Toby Melville)

The racial nature of Philipps's threat prompted prosecutors to request a longer sentence than the standard eight weeks.

"The menacing comment by Philipps about Gina Miller was clearly racially motivated and as a result he has received a longer sentence today to reflect the hate crime element," prosecution lawyer Kate Mulholland said.

Philipps was convicted on two counts of sending a menacing public communication, one relating to Ms Miller and one about an immigrant on benefits who had featured in a news article.

Ms Miller also criticised Facebook for not removing the post.

"Facebook allowed the post to be published, and didn't take it down ... so Facebook are culpable," she said.

"If you think about them being a publisher, then they need to be reprimanded as well. And they've got away with it scot-free."

Facebook was not immediately available for comment.

Reuters

Topics: law-crime-and-justice, world-politics, government-and-politics, foreign-affairs, united-kingdom, england

First posted July 14, 2017 08:22:40