Police warn people mocking convicted drug dealer’s hairstyle they could be prosecuted

Maya Oppenheim   @mayaoppenheim

Police in South Wales have warned members of the public who made fun of a convicted drug dealer’s haircut they could be prosecuted for their remarks.

Gwent Police used Facebook to appeal for information about Jermaine Taylor from Newport who is being recalled to prison after breaching his licence release conditions.

They shared the 21-year-old’s mugshot, which appears to show the man with a receding hairline, alongside the appeal in a bid to track him down.

His hairstyle attracted a slew of jokes and puns in the comments – with the image of Taylor having been liked more than 10,000 times, shared 14,000 times and commented on over 80,000 times.

Gwent Police sought to stop people mocking the man’s appearance by telling them they could face a criminal investigation for certain comments.

“Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law,” Gwent Police warned Facebook users.

“Our advice is to be as careful on social media as you would in any other form of communication.

”If you say something about someone which is grossly offensive or is of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, then you could be investigated by the police.”

Taylor, who was released from prison in December, originally received a three-year sentence for being concerned in supplying cocaine after being sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court in September 2017.

Gwent Police did not immediately respond to The Independent’s request to comment.