The six types of Facebook killer

Researchers at Birmingham City University have today published the first study into how social media can lead to criminal behaviour, and found that 26 out of the 48 so-called "Facebook murders" worldwide have occurred in Britain.These are killers who use the social media site to stalk their prey, or brag about their fantasies, before carrying them out. In modern life, the lines between the online and the physical self are increasingly blurred.Professor David Wilson and Dr Elizabeth Yardley of the centre of applied criminology at Birmingham City University have published their report after studying “Facebook murder” cases from 2008 to 2013. And when it comes to identifying those who may be about to commit crimes, Prof Wilson has warned police are lagging behind.The report has identified six types of Facebook killer:Informer (22.9% of Facebook murders)Prof Wilson says Will Cornick, who was convicted yesterday for the “truly grotesque” murder of his teacher Ann Maguire, fits into this category, after he used Facebook to warn of his crime before carrying it out. For more than four months, Cornick told Facebook friends his fantasies of “brutally killing” his Spanish teacher. “He fits that pattern of people who will let everybody know what it is they intend to do,” says Prof Wilson.Reactor (27.1% of Facebook murders)An example of this is the case of Wayne Forrester who, in 2004, hacked his wife Emma to death with a meat cleaver after she had changed her online profile to “single”. The day before the murder, the 34-year-old called her parents and complained about his wife's Facebook entry, which he said made her look like a fool. The report has found sexual intimacy, jealousy and a desire for revenge are key characteristics of this type of murderer.Antagonist (16.7% of Facebook murders)These are people that engage in hostile exchanges online which can quickly escalate into violence. Knowing in advance that a fight is to take place, criminals increasingly come armed. In 2010, 18-year-old Salum Kombo was stabbed to death in the street in Bromley-by-Bow, London, by a former friend. The 15-year-old murderer, whose identity has been protected by the courts, launched into the attack after they had exchanged a barrage of insults on Facebook.Fantasist (12.5% of Facebook murders)The allegations against British banker Rurik George Caton Jutting, charged this week with two murders of women in his Hong Kong flat, are said by Prof Wilson to fit into this bracket.For fantasists, the study says, “the line between fantasy and reality has become increasingly blurred”. Mark Twitchell, who murdered a man in a “kill room” he had set up inspired by the television series Dexter, had even set up a Facebook account pretending to be the character and boasting of his preparations for a killing spree online.Predator (12.5% of Facebook murders)In 2010, Peter Chapman was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he created a fake profile on Facebook purporting to be a handsome teenager to lure 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall to her death. In reality he was a toothless 33-year-old convicted double rapist who had been living in his car. The study says predators often prey on their victim’s vulnerabilities to establish ground to develop a relationship.Imposter (8.3% of Facebook murders)Often associated with domestic crimes, the imposter posts updates on the victim’s Facebook page to give the impression they are still alive. In 2010 in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, Andrew Lindo killed his partner Marie Stewart then sent messages from Facebook claiming she had left him and gone abroad to live in the Canary Islands.(telegraph.co.uk)Bakudaily.Az