UK Juror Sobs After Getting 8-Month Sentence for Contacting Defendant on Facebook

Corrected: A juror in the United Kingdom who admitted contacting a drug defendant through Facebook has been sentenced to eight months in prison for contempt of court.

Joanne Fraill of Manchester put her head on the table and “sobbed uncontrollably” when the sentence was announced, report the Guardian, the BBC and Reuters. The 40-year-old woman was sentenced after admitting the contact at London’s High Court.

Fraill had contacted acquitted defendant Jamie Sewart during deliberations for her co-defendants, causing a mistrial. Sewart had sent Fraill a message asking her what was happening on one of the charges, prompting this response: "cant get anyone to go either no one budging pleeeeeese don't say anything cause jamie they could all miss trial and I will get 4cked to0."

Sewart received a two-month sentence, suspended for two years because she has a 3-year-old child.

Hat tip to Mashable.

Updated 9:00 a.m. to correct reference to acquitted defendant Jamie Sewart.