Fundraiser set up to support Northampton mother Lucy Connolly - jailed for racist tweet - raises more than £150,000
A fundraiser set up to support Lucy Connolly has raised more than £150,000 within two months of launching.
As of July 10, the crowdfunder had reached £154,547 – surpassing its original target of £150,000.
The campaign, believed to have started in May, followed Connolly’s 31-month prison sentence for posting a racist message on X (formerly Twitter) after the Southport murders in July 2024.
Connolly, 42, of Parkfield Avenue, Delapre, pleaded guilty to publishing material intending to stir up racial hatred. She was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court in October 2024. Her now-deleted post called for mass deportation and suggested setting fire to hotels housing immigrants, in response to misinformation that circulated following the murder of three girls.
An update on the fundraiser page thanked donors and said the amount raised had “far exceeded” expectations.
The campaign page describes the sentence as “extremely harsh and unfair,” and claims that Connolly has been “treated worse than many hardened criminals.”
According to the same update, £80,000 has been transferred to the Connolly family to help pay off debts. Her husband, Conservative councillor Ray Connolly, said some of the funds were also used to buy a new dishwasher. The couple also plan to use some of the money to support their 12-year-old daughter’s education.
Connolly has recently been transferred back to HMP Peterborough, a prison closer to her family. The campaign states that she has reapplied for ROTL (release on temporary licence), which she has reportedly been eligible for since November. Her family say they believe the continued refusal may breach her human rights and that legal action is being considered.
Another update on the campaign page describes Connolly as a “political prisoner” and criticises the legal system’s handling of the case.
On May 15, Connolly appeared at the Royal Courts of Justice to appeal her sentence which was rejected.
Speaking previously about his wife’s well-being, Ray Connolly said: “Lucy’s very resilient... Lucy's been through hell and back when we lost our son, but this is nothing. I'm fine, my problem is my daughter, she's the only one who's suffering here.”
He added: “I think she's being made an example of... I just think it was an over-disproportionate sentence, that's all.”
Public support for Connolly has continued to grow online, with backing from broadcaster Dan Wootton and former Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Connolly’s tweet was also shared by Northampton man Tyler Kay, who was sentenced to 38 months in August 2024 after pleading guilty to the same offence.