A woman has been arrested for spreading false information about the Southport murder suspect being an asylum seeker. The suspect, Axel Rudakubana, is 18 years old and not an asylum seeker. The woman, Bernadette Spofforth, denies being the instigator of the false claim and says she only retweeted false information.
The police have charged Axel Rudakubana with the murders of three children in Southport. Rudakubana was born in Cardiff to Rwandan parents who arrived legally in the UK in 2002. He has also been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
Bernadette Spofforth posted the false claim on social media, which spread rapidly and sparked far-right riots across the UK. She claims she received the information from someone in Southport and did not intend for it to incite violence. She regrets not verifying the information before posting and acknowledges her mistake.
Spofforth lives in a £1.5 million farmhouse in Cheshire and says her life has been ‘destroyed’ by the accusations against her. She believes her post may have been the source for the information used by a Russian news website, but denies any connection to the violence seen across the country.
It is essential for people to verify the source of information before sharing it on social media to prevent the spread of false claims. Spreading inaccurate information can have serious consequences, as seen in this case with the far-right riots that erupted as a result of the false claim about the Southport suspect.
The incident serves as a reminder of the power of social media and the importance of being responsible for the content we share online. It is crucial to fact-check information before posting it, especially in sensitive situations like criminal investigations. This case highlights the need for accountability and caution when using social media platforms to disseminate information.
