by Will Bolton, Telegraph
Stephen Gray, 65, to appeal conviction for resharing posts that were critical of Islam
When Stephen Gray, a retired police officer, was told he would be charged with a criminal offence for sharing posts online that were critical of Islam, his first concern was not for himself.
It was for the young Irish girl he and his wife had been fostering for the past six years.
He told The Telegraph: “I was initially quite worried because obviously we have to have enhanced DBS checks to foster children.
“These kids have enough to put up with without the fear they may be moving again hanging over their heads.”
Gray, 65, who worked for Cleveland Police for nearly three decades, went on trial at Newton Aycliffe magistrates’ court in April 2026.
Despite pointing out he had only reshared the posts, as hundreds of other people had, and explaining he viewed them as political satire, he was found guilty of making a grossly offensive post on Facebook contrary to Section 127(1)(a) of the Communications Act 2003.
Speaking from his home in Darlington, County Durham, Gray still cannot get his head around the fact he has a criminal conviction for a post on social media.
He said: “I guess some of the posts may have been in bad taste. Some of them may upset one or two people, but I didn’t think for one second it would be cast as grossly offensive by the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and by the courts. Not for one second.”