Lucy Connolly Walks Free After Racist X Comments Sent Her to Jail; What Really Happened?

Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for calling for attacks on asylum-seeker hotels, was released from HMP Peterborough on 21 August 2025 after serving 40% of her sentence.

The 42-year-old former childminder from Northampton had been sentenced to 31 months in prison after posting a message on X (formerly Twitter) that was ruled to incite racial hatred. The post, which was viewed over 310,000 times, came just hours after three girls were stabbed to death in Southport on 29 July 2024.

Why Was Lucy Connolly Jailed?

On 29 July 2024, Connolly published an expletive-filled message calling for 'mass deportation' and urging followers to 'set fire' to hotels housing asylum seekers. She added that if that made her racist, 'so be it'. The message remained online for three and a half hours before being deleted.

She was arrested on 06 August 2024 and remained in custody ahead of her sentencing. On 17 October 2024, she pleaded guilty to stirring up racial hatred by publishing and distributing 'threatening or abusive' material.

At sentencing, the judge described her offence as 'category A' with high culpability, adding that both the defence and prosecution accepted she intended to incite serious violence.

When and Why was She Released?

Connolly was released from custody after serving 10 months, which met the automatic release point of 40% of her custodial sentence. Under current sentencing rules in England and Wales, prisoners serving fixed terms are typically released at this stage to serve the rest on licence in the community.

Time spent on remand – 72 days in her case – was also taken into account, further reducing time behind bars. The Ministry of Justice confirmed she will remain under the supervision of the probation service until her sentence formally ends.

Good behaviour was not a factor in her release, as current law does not allow early release for that reason alone.

What Did the Courts Say?

During her appeal in May 2025, Connolly's legal team argued that her sentence was excessive. The Court of Appeal upheld the original sentence, stating it was proportionate given the nature of the post and its potential to provoke violence.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer supported the ruling. Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions on 21 May 2025, he reiterated that incitement to violence is not protected under free speech and praised the independence of the courts.

Connolly's post had included threats and abuse towards asylum seekers, references to politicians, and further offensive remarks in the days before and after the Southport attack.

Reaction to Connolly's Release

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch publicly criticised the severity of Connolly's sentence, suggesting it was harsher than punishments given to people involved in physical riots. She said the law should not place more weight on words than on threats to public safety.

Free speech campaigners also weighed in, calling the case a national scandal. However, critics of Connolly's actions argued that the tweet went beyond opinion and posed a genuine danger.

Connolly's husband, Raymond – a local councillor – has defended her character and said she is not racist. He cited the death of their 19-month-old son years earlier as a factor contributing to her state of mind when the post was written.

What Happens Now?

Connolly has returned home and is now under probation supervision for the remainder of her sentence. She is expected to resume caring for her daughter and may attempt to return to work, though her criminal record could pose a barrier.

The case remains a high-profile example in the national conversation around free speech, online conduct, and legal boundaries in response to hate speech. While Connolly's prison term has ended, scrutiny of the Public Order Act and how similar cases are handled is likely to continue.