Dispatches from the witch trials:

The first time I met Kate Scottow was outside the Linda Bellos/ Venice Allen trial

Linda & Venice walked out free women with their names cleared that day.

The next day Kate was arrested

14 months later she was tried under section 127 (2) of Comms Act for "persistently using a public electronic comms network for purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety"

-> up to 6 mths prison, up to £5K fine

Generally this has is used to mean things like making 100s of nuisance calls

The court heard about 15 (!) tweets posted over a 7 month period Sept 18 - Mar 19

This is how it began: In September 2018 Kate had tweeted: “Lets hope they take a serious stance on your racism”.

This was in response to this tweet.

We can see that this was part of this thread where "the likes of @Docstockk" were accused of "turning #UK Universities into temples of #transgender hate preaching"

https://twitter.com/flyinglawyer73/status/1038386415367856128
https://twitter.com/Sparkyduchess/status/1038562376054919168 https://twitter.com/flyinglawyer73/status/1038373787132207104

Hayden told the court “I was very offended. It was a weekend. I was receiving a twitter pile-on by many trolls. There was the usual abuse."

"I was furious & distressed [about Kate's tweet].... I decided to research the account and several others....”

“...I checked the media on the account. It included photos of the home, the dog & references to the husband. I cross referenced this with a Google search& found her FB account”

Hayden wrote to Kate's university and then contacted Kate via FB msg & threatened an injunction.

We can see another academic getting the treatment that night @deeinsidefilm

"Looks like its time to make an example of one of you!"

https://twitter.com/flyinglawyer73/status/1038544578960400385
https://twitter.com/flyinglawyer73/status/1038550803441704960

What else was happening that day?

The Times reported on the secret Facebook group which was targeting gender critical academics

“File a hate crime report against her [Kath Stock...] Drag them over the f***ing coals" wrote one group member

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/trans-goldsmiths-lecturer-natacha-kennedy-behind-smear-campaign-against-academics-f2zqbl222

The trial is ongoing

Verdict due on Friday

The media has so far reported the tweets as a playground spat

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7978797/Mother-two-called-transgender-woman-man-racist-series-offensive-tweets.html

But its worth bearing in mind the context of a systematic targeting of women in universities to be dragged over the coals as an example to others