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Man forced to plead guilty after posting “I think I get away with it” to Facebook

Michael Ruse was sentenced to 46 weeks in prison for  assaulting a 45-year-old man in Hampshire, England. 

 

Kevin Collier

IRL

Posted on Jun 7, 2012   Updated on Jun 2, 2021, 4:07 pm CDT

An Englishman has been convicted after testifying his innocence in court, then coming home and posting “I think I get [sic] away with it” to Facebook.

Michael Ruse, 21, initially pled not guilty to assault charges involving a 45-year-old man in Hampshire, England.

But an anonymous person who’s Facebook friends with Ruse printed out the update and delivered it to the court, forcing Ruse to change his plea to guilty.

Afterward, Ruse updated his Facebook status to call the case’s judge, Ian Pearson, “stuck up.”

In his ruling, Pearson ripped into Ruse. He said, “[Y]ou were stupid enough to put on Facebook what amounted to a full confession” and “your stupidity really is not much mitigation.”

Pearson sentenced Ruse to 46 weeks in prison, plus by six months of strict curfew.

During the trial, Ruse’s lawyer admitted his client “needs help with regards to thinking skills.”

And maybe a copy of Facebook for Dummies.

Photo by LauraLewis23

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*First Published: Jun 7, 2012, 10:21 am CDT