‘Howdy cutie’: Right-wing extremist Ricky White jailed over WhatsApp message
Right-wing extremist Ricky White, one of the first people in NSW to be monitored under strict anti-terrorism legislation, has successfully appealed the length of his current jail term.
Right-wing extremist Ricky White, one of the first people in NSW to be monitored under strict anti-terrorism legislation, successfully appealed his original jail term at Campbelltown District Court today after breaching a strict supervision order last year.
The Bradbury man, 28, was issued a Supreme Court extended supervision order in July last year due to fears a serious terrorism offence could take place if strict conditions were not enforced.
The order included more than 50 conditions and prohibited White from using social messaging services WhatsApp and Snapchat.
The right wing extremist, previously convicted of setting fire to a Pentecostal church in Taree in 2016, violated his strict conditions in August 2018 by messaging “Howdy cutie” to Cici, a WhatsApp contact.
A week later he messaged a photo to another WhatsApp contact named Laura.
White had pleaded guilty to using Snapchat a number of times.
Judge Chris O’Brien condemned Mr White’s actions but reduced to nine months the original 15-month jail sentence, issued in Campbelltown Local Court on January 10, highlighting the lack of “radical” thinking in the message exchanges.
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“These are serious charges,” Mr O’Brien said. “Any breach of a Supreme Court order must be treated seriously.
“This legislation, new as it is, is aimed at protecting the public from people who might do them harm because of radicalised, or what the community regards as unhinged, views.
“(The social media messages) do not include any radical extremist thinking, or the exchange of extremist ideology.”
The maximum penalty for the offence was a five-year custodial sentence.
White is eligible for parole on April 7.
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