Bully jailed for death threats on Facebook

A teenage girl who posted death threats on Facebook has become the first person in Britain to be jailed for bullying via a social networking site.

Keeley Houghton, 18, boasted on her Facebook page that she would kill Emily Moore, 18, who she had bullied since they were at school together.

Houghton was sentenced to three months in a young offender institution yesterday. She had pleaded guilty to harassment at Worcester magistrates' court. District Judge Bruce Morgan said: "Since Emily Moore was 14 you have waged threats and violent abuse towards her ... to satisfy your own twisted nature."

Houghton, who is unemployed, was also issued with a restraining order banning her from contacting Miss Moore in any manner.

Earlier the court heard that on 12 July Houghton wrote on her Facebook site: "Keeley is going to murder the bitch. She is an actress. What a f***ing liberty. Emily F***head Moore." Two days before making the threat she had approached Miss Moore who was having a drink in The Vaults pub in Malvern, Worcestershire and put her arm around her. Sara Stock, prosecuting, said: "The defendant stared at her while she was dancing. When Emily was sitting on her own the defendant sat next to her and asked 'Are you Emily Moore? Can I have a huggle?'

"Emily told the defendant to leave her alone or she would call police. Keeley then told her 'I'll give you something to ring the police about'."

Houghton, of Malvern, had two previous convictions for her vendetta: in 2005 she assaulted Miss Moore as she walked home from school, and two years later she caused criminal damage to her home by kicking her front door.

The Met has hired a consultancy to help monitor websites such as Facebook and Twitter for evidence of crime. Experts at social media monitoring company 6Consulting will help officers search the sites for crime alerts over the next six to 12 months.