A MAN who posted anti-Semitic material online ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally in Golders Green has been jailed.

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, 23, of Yeovil, Somerset was sentenced to three years and four months imprisonment at Southwark Crown Court today (December 17), after he was found guilty yesterday of inciting racial hatred.

Police became aware of anti-Semitic material being posted online in the weeks leading up to the rally, planned to take place in early July.

Bonehill-Paine was identified as the creator of the material, and was arrested at his home on June 26. He was brought to London, where he was charged the next day.

The rally was organised by far-right groups against “Jewish privilege”. A counter-demonstration was planned to take place by a wide range of groups.

The demonstration was eventually moved to central London – a move welcomed by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism and the Community Security Trust (CST), along with others.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Barnes, who led the investigation for the Met's Public Order Investigation Branch, said: "Bonehill-Paine posted vile, anti-Semitic material online.

"This kind of material is illegal and its publication is damaging to communities.

“There are challenges in attributing such material posted online to the originator but our digital forensic examiners worked tirelessly, carrying out extensive analysis of the material, phone data and online activity to prove that Bonehill-Paine posted the material from his laptop.”

He added: "The Met fully understands the hurt that is felt in communities affected by this type of crime. It is only by continually working with communities that we can ensure they are safe and free from fear.

"As this case demonstrates, there is no place for people inciting racial hatred under the guise of protest, and those that do this will be investigated and brought before the courts to answer for this crime."