Lucy Connolly had her prosecution for stirring up racial hatred following the Southport attacks fast-tracked for approval by Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, in “proof that she was stitched up”. The Telegraph has more.

The childminder’s case was treated as an “emergency charging decision”, under which specialist counter-terrorism prosecutors secured consent for her prosecution from Lord Hermer’s office within 12 hours of asking for it on a Friday night.

The details have been revealed in Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) documents obtained by Connolly through a subject access request, under which individuals can obtain personal data and information held on them by organisations.

Connolly, from Northampton, was jailed for 31 months for inciting racial hatred in a post on X after the killings of three children at a dance workshop in Southport on July 29th 2024.

She spoke of mass deportations and setting fire to asylum hotels “for all I care”, adding: “I feel physically sick knowing what these [Southport] families will now have to endure. If that makes me racist, so be it.”

Connolly took down the post within four hours, but it had been viewed 310,000 times. She was interviewed by police on August 6th and charged four days later.

The documents reveal the behind-the-scenes actions of police, prosecutors and the Attorney General. Officials say her charge under the Public Order Act of 1986 required Lord Hermer’s consent by law, and the speed was stipulated under a national directive to deal with cases quickly to deter further disorder after rioting in the wake of the Southport killings of three girls.

However, the disclosure has sparked fresh claims that she was a “political prisoner” who was “scapegoated” by the Government.

Chris Philp, the Shadow Home Secretary, said: “This clearly shows that the Government wanted to make an example of Lucy Connolly… she was scapegoated by the Government, and it appears to me that, had she pleaded not guilty, she would have had a good chance of being acquitted.

“Thirty one months in prison for an offensive social media post is grossly disproportionate… an immigrant who sexually assaulted a 12 year-old recently got off with no prison at all.”

Richard Tice, the Deputy Leader of Reform UK, said: “This was not a judicial decision. This was a political decision, confirming that she was made an example of as a political prisoner.

“The Attorney General, who has been exposed in so many different ways as being reprehensible and who conspired to act against British troops, has… acted against freedom of speech. The real question is: can he survive these ever increasing revelations or should he do the right thing and resign.”

Lord Young, Director of the Free Speech Union, said the fast-tracking of Connolly’s case was “disturbing”. He said the fact that, in contrast, the CPS “dragged its feet” over the prosecution of Mo Chara [the Kneecap rapper] made it “pretty clear where the state’s priorities lie”.

Read More: Lucy Connolly’s Racial Hatred Charge Was Fast-Tracked in “Proof That She Was Stitched Up”