Victim's anger at '˜light' sentence for online troll

Stewart McInroy was released from prison on July 3 after serving an eight-month sentence for making threats to a woman involved in an online paedophile hunter group.

The day after his release he again found her on Facebook and began bombarding her with threats.

McInroy previously spent 10 months in jail for trolling the family of Allan Bryant Jr, claiming “he was the killer” and torturing the father with descriptions of horrific torture.

This week, Allan Bryant Sr lashed out at the sentence handed to McInroy, who was jailed for nine months on Friday over his latest online stalking charge.

Mr Bryant said: “The heartache and pain these sick so called people cause is another torture that no one should have to endure.

“My family have been targeted by several evil twisted trolls in the search for our son Allan.

“I remember being on STV news welcoming new stiffer sentences for internet trolls. After the stress, and being in front of the cameras which is never easy to do, it all seems a waste of time now as he gets another light sentence.”

McInroy’s latest sentence came after he threatened to disclose his victim’s address and contact details to paedophiles she had helped expose through an online vigilante group.

McInroy told her: “I’m not stalking you, I’m trolling you.”

Fiscal depute Marie Irvine told Dundee Sheriff Court that in July the woman received a Facebook “wave” from the accused.

She said the woman had previously been threatened by McInroy which had resulted in him serving an eight-month prison sentence, and that he had been released from the previous day.

Miss Irvine added: “The complainer accepted the wave and immediately received a message saying: ‘Grass and LOL.’

McInroy, 26, of Cook Street, Dysart, pleaded guilty to stalking the woman between July and October this year.

Defence solicitor Alan Davie said McInroy had had a difficult upbringing and had been physically abused by his step-father, stating he was suffering from post traumatic stess disorder because of it.

Sheriff John Rafferty jailed McInroy for nine months on the stalking charge and said: “You have a history of offending since 2007 with not one year when you have stopped, some with multiple offences.”