A woman who spent 36 hours in police custody over a social media post has told GB News she felt she was treated “like a terrorist” and now lives in fear of posting online.
Speaking to Patrick Christys, Bernadette Spofforth described the experience as “horrendous”, saying it has left her anxious about ever being arrested again for something she shares on social media.
The incident took place amid widespread public disorder in August 2024, which followed the murders of three young girls at a dance class in Southport by Axel Rudakubana. In the aftermath, police faced criticism over delays in releasing details about the attacker, which contributed to a surge of false claims online.
Ms Spofforth was arrested on suspicion of stirring up racial hatred after she shared incorrect information about the attacker’s identity. She removed the post once she realised it was wrong, but says it was around a month before she was officially cleared of any wrongdoing.
Recounting the incident, she said it had a devastating impact on her life.
“I’d run a business for 30 years. I’m careful and I usually check everything,” she said. “That day I didn’t, and I posted something saying, ‘if this is true, there will be hell to pay’. As soon as I realised it was wrong, I deleted it.”
She said she believed police treated her as if she were an extremist.
“They acted like they had caught someone serious. I think they genuinely thought I was some kind of extremist, but I wasn’t — I just made a mistake,” she said.
Ms Spofforth was held in custody for 36 hours before being released without charge.
“It was absolutely awful. I was treated like a terrorist,” she said. “It destroyed me.”
She also said the experience has made her afraid to speak freely online.
“I’m terrified of being arrested again. I don’t really know what I can and can’t say anymore,” she added.
A spokesperson for Chester Police previously said a 55-year-old woman from near Chester was arrested on 8 August over a post containing inaccurate information about the Southport attacker, but later released with no further action due to insufficient evidence.
