Košice/London – A Slovak news journalist Erik Hilár Lakatošovie has become the target of extremely vulgar and dangerous threats from a family originally from Slovakia, now living in the United Kingdom. Among other things, the sender told him that he would be “shot by Pakistanis.”
Full Messenger message
The newsroom publishes the threatening message in its entirety, without edits or censorship, to provide readers with a clear understanding of the seriousness of the threats:
“You fucking idiot, you won’t set foot in GB, I swear. And in Slovakia I’ll have you checked, how popular you really are. I’ll contact people in Slovakia, send your photo, make you ‘famous’. You dickhead, I’ll have you shot here in GB by Pakistanis. Just wait until you shake my hand – you’re lucky we only found out later that you were in England, otherwise immigration would have thrown you out right away. For people you’re already a laughing stock, a liar who makes things up and posts them on Facebook. You illiterate Gypsy, don’t think you’re brave. In England, you won’t survive, I’ll fuck up your whole family.
Wait, I’ll also go after you personally, I’m waiting for your downfall. You’ve ruined your own career.”
The message contains not only vulgar insults and humiliation, but also explicit threats of physical violence.
Police cooperation with the UK
The Slovak police have confirmed that they have already taken action and are working closely with British law enforcement on the case. IT experts are also involved, analyzing the IP address and other digital traces of the sender.
What penalties could the perpetrator face in the UK?
According to British law, these are serious criminal offences:Threats to Kill: Up to 10 years in prison (Offences Against the Person Act 1861).Threatening Communications: Under the Online Safety Act 2023, up to 5 years in prison or a heavy fine.Malicious and offensive messages: Prosecutable under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 and Communications Act 2003.Stalking and repeated harassment: In severe cases, up to 10 years in prison.ConclusionThreats involving shootings and the involvement of foreign nationals are unacceptable in a democratic society. This case demonstrates that even private messages sent via social media can have serious legal consequences. Both Slovak and British authorities continue their joint investigation.