A MAN who repeatedly posted Instagram messages, threatening police and making racist and homophobic comments, has been jailed.

Bolton Crown Court heard how the offences came to light after Alan Orr, who appeared to be drunk, made a 999 call to police on April 10.

Eleanor Gleeson, prosecuting, told how 47-year-old Orr started shouting at call handler Natasha Doyle, who tried to calm him down.

“He continued to shout and didn’t make much sense and the defendant then put the phone down,” said Miss Gleeson.

Ms Doyle, believing the caller might need help, rang the number back but Orr became abusive and made racist comments.

After ending the call Ms Doyle checked the number and traced it to Orr’s address.

When police officers called at Orr’s home at 10.40pm he was arrested for sending malicious communications and they found his phone on which were multiple notifications for his Instagram account.

When the device was examined a large number of posts made by Orr, of Orchard Close, Leigh, were found.

“The posts were generally racist, homophobic, threatening in nature,” said Miss Gleeson, who told how Orr had ranted against Greater Manchester Police, Lancashire Constabulary, Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party and those who voted ‘leave’ in the Brexit referendum.

Several of the Instagram posts were threats directed at a police officer who was involved in investigating a case in which Orr was alleged to have been a victim.

When arrested for sending the communications Orr, who has seven previous convictions for different offences, made no comment.

In court he pleaded guilty to sending grossly offensive, indecent, obscene or menacing communications between April 9 and 12, 2022.

At the time he was subject to a suspended prison sentence for affray and possessing a bladed article.

Kristian Cavanagh, defending, told Recorder Simon Hilton: “He recognises that he has a problem with alcohol.”

Her added that, while on remand in prison awaiting sentence, he has done “everything possible” to address the issue.

Sentencing Orr to a total of eight months and two weeks in jail, Recorder Hilton told him: “Your compliance with the suspended sentence order made last year is patchy to say the least.”