A FACEBOOK troll from Rossendale who abused a workmate with a serious speech impediment and physical disabilities has been jailed for six weeks after being convicted of a ‘hate crime’.

Saul Nyland, 25, used the social media site to hurl abuse at his 31-year-old victim, who had set up a series of Facebook pages giving advice and information regarding diggers and tractors to enthusiasts.

Prosecutors have welcomed the sentence, imposed by Liverpool magistrates, after Nyland, from Whitworth, admitted two offences of harassment.

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Nyland struck repeatedly between December, 2014, and July, 2015, the court heard, and also called his unnamed victim on the phone.

Magistrates were told that the 31-year-old, who was a plant operator who Nyland had worked with at several building sites across the north-west, had a severe speech impediment and had physical injuries dating back to his childhood.

In a statement, the victim said the abuse was “destroying his life” and had left him reluctant to leave home.

An extra two weeks was added to Nyland’s sentence after it was adjudged to be a ‘hate crime’.

Senior prosecutor Lionel Cope said: “Nyland targeted the victim and harassed him because of his disability.

“Nyland subjected the victim to a tirade of abuse online including posting a number of Photoshopped images of the victim which were hugely upsetting to both the victim and his partner.

“When the victim blocked Nyland online, he began ringing the victim on a nightly basis, mocking him for his disability and threatening to harm him.

“He also started to post abusive messages on the Facebook site of the victim’s partner.

“Hate crimes will not be tolerated – they are malicious, create fear and ruin lives. Nobody should be subjected to this abuse, online or offline, and the Crown Prosecution Service does everything in its power to bring these offenders to justice.”

Nyland must also pay an £80 victim surcharge and a two-year restraining order was imposed preventing the construction worker from contacting the victim. Prosecutors refused to release his full address for safety reasons.