A 21-YEAR-OLD woman arrested on suspicion of using a social networking site to incite others to commit disorder during the summer riots has been cautioned.

Northumbria Police confirmed that the woman, who had been on police bail, had been cautioned for sending an indecent, obscene or menacing message on the unnamed site. The woman, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was arrested on August 11, during riots that swept through the country after the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan in Tottenham, London, on August 4.

Northumbria Police searched Twitter and Facebook at the time to see if anyone was stirring up disorder.

A storm of controversy erupted over four-year jail sentences imposed on two Cheshire men for each setting up Facebook pages that encouraged people to riot, even though no disorder occurred.

Police last night declined to go into the details of the woman’s case.

A spokesman said: “All police forces operate under strict guidelines from the Home Office in relation to the use of cautions.

“Cautions are used for adult offenders predominantly in cases involving first-time low-level offending. Before any decision to issue a caution is made, the full circumstances will be reviewed and a caution only issued if it is in the public interest to do so.

“Cautions are rarely issued for more serious offences.

“However, if it is appropriate for a caution to be considered for a serious offence, the decision to caution will only be reached after consultation with the victim, and a referral of the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision.”

􀁧 No action has been taken against a 15-year-old boy from South Tyneside arrested on suspicion of incitement to commit damage by using Facebook.