THE terrifying threats made by a self-styled "Soldier of Allah" who escaped being charged with terrorism offences because of a legal technicality can be revealed after The Mail obtained his social media posts.

Leroy McCarthy, who also uses the name Abdullah Mahmood, was jailed for 18 weeks at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court earlier this week.

The 22-year-old dad, who lives in Hall Street, published a series of offensive, anti-semitic and homophobic posts to his Facebook page on Friday October 6.

They included plans to leave the UK and "join my people's cause" and one in which he described murdered soldier Lee Rigby as a "white coward who invades countries and rapes people".

Another comment said "We are all martyrs of the Lord."

In one post, released to The Mail by the Crown Prosecution Service, McCarthy said: "They wouldn't be able to evacuate all of FGH's patients in time before at least one of the three explosions."

On his Facebook profile, McCarthy describes himself as a "soldier of Allah" and when he was arrested, McCarthy told police from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit "if he was going to bomb somewhere it would be the Trafford Centre".

McCarthy escaped a lengthier sentence and more serious charge because of a legal technicality.

Because of his privacy settings on his Facebook profile, the posts could only be seen by his 340 friends, and with prosecutors unable to show they could be seen by the public he could only be charged with an offence under the Communications Act.

Charging an individual with encouraging terrorism requires the prosecution to prove the statement was intended to be seen by the public.

At Monday's court hearing, McCarthy's solicitor, Ms Maureen Fawcett, said in response to his post about leaving the UK that he "has never been abroad on a lads holiday".

Ms Fawcett added: "He accepts the postings would have been grossly offensive and upsetting, but they were taken out of context.

"He had fallen out with his sister who works at the hospital.

"He has also never been abroad on a lads holiday and he wanted to leave the UK to get his life back on track."

Other posts were described as anti-semitic and homophobic. Ms Fawcett said: "He reverted to become a Muslim when he was released from prison in 2015 and he is more peaceful since then. He had taken about 20 valium on the day he posted these.

"He was homeless and struggling to get by. He has got a flat for the first time since being released and is due to move to Egerton Court on Wednesday."

McCarthy, of Hall Street, was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £115.

Under UK law, those who enter a guilty plea at the earliest stage will receive the maximum one third off their sentences.

Additionally, usually half the time is spent in prison and the rest is spent on licence.