On December 31, 2024, while commenting on a post about someone winning a bottle of whisky that still had a security tag attached, Mr Luker wrote a message questioning whether it was linked to a raffle on a particular type of website. He added remarks referring to mobile homes and used the term “dags,” followed by another message addressed to a group member.
A disciplinary panel later ruled that the comments were deliberate and clearly associated the Irish Traveller community with criminal activity. The panel said the use of the word “dags” was derogatory, noting that it referenced a scene in the Snatch where a Gypsy character’s accent is mocked.On March 17, 2025, another group member shared a video described as a St Patrick’s Day parade on Inishbofin, jokingly likening it to a Disney World parade. Mr Luker responded by making a comment about going in search of scrap metal, lead roofing and cable.
The panel concluded that this response was deliberate and discriminatory, saying it again linked members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller community with theft. It also noted that on March 27, 2025, Mr Luker used the word “pikey” again, which the panel described as disrespectful. In his defence, Mr Luker said he was one of the first responders to the London Bridge terror attack and explained that humour was one of his coping mechanisms for dealing with the trauma of that day. He added that he did not intend to cause offence when he used the word “pikey” in the messages.
Source: https://news.sky.com/
