VIDEO: Man jailed for abusive messages after ‘Fireman Sam’ row
Jeremy Flashman, 56, rang fire officer Les Britzman and swore at him after the officer was interviewed by Piers Morgan on breakfast television.
Although Mr Britzman hung up, he later received an abusive email and a voicemail message in which Flashman was abusive about the fire chief’s mother, his partner, and the officer himself.
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Hide AdDistrict Judge Peter Veits, passing sentence, told Flashman: “This was an absolute tirade.
“You sent an abusive email. Not satisfied with that you got through to his work mobile and started off with personal abuse.
“You then sent an email. It was absolutely abysmal behaviour.
“Whatever the rights and wrongs of Fireman Sam, the Chief Fire Officer did not deserve this level of abuse.
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Hide Ad“There is no other sentence but prison that is appropriate for this.”
Jeremy Flashman, of Kings Road, Southminster, Essex, admitted three charges of sending an offensive, indecent or obscene message to Mr Britzman on September 11 this year. He was jailed for 10 weeks and ordered to pay a £121 surcharge.
Kate Minihane, prosecuting, said that following the Piers Morgan interview being broadcast, the fire officer began receiving abusive messages about the Fireman Sam decision.
She said: “He received a call on his work mobile from a withheld number. It was a male with a Southern accent who said ‘You f***ing c***’. Mr Britzman hung up.”
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Hide AdShe said Mr Britzman then received a ‘particularly nasty’ email. Later, when he checked his voicemail messages, there was a further message from the same man who made the earlier call.
In the message, Flashman called Mr Britzman a “sick paedophile” and said fire officer’s mother should have been castrated to prevent him being born. He was also abusive to Mr Britzman’s partner.
Flashman said: “It’s f***ing Fireman Sam, not Fireman Samantha. You f***ing s**tbag. Who do you think you are?”
Mrs Minihane said: “Mr Britzman found the contents deeply disturbing and upsetting.
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Hide Ad“He finds it hard to understand how someone could get so angry and abusive about something like this.
Flashman was traced through the mobile phone which he used to make the calls.
Tony Freitas, for Flashman, said: “He knows full well his actions have gone too far.
“He describes it as a moment of madness. A mad rant. He is very embarrassed.
“He apologises profoundly to Mr Britzman.”