An IT consultant from the UK says he went through “13 weeks of hell” after being arrested for posting photos of himself holding firearms while on vacation in Florida. Jon Richelieu-Booth, 50, was visiting the United States and staying on private property with friends when he took and later posted the pictures to his LinkedIn account.
The photos, which showed Richelieu-Booth posing with guns, were taken in Florida where such activity is legal. However, when he returned to the UK in August, he says police showed up at his home in West Yorkshire. Officers reportedly told him someone had raised concerns about his social media activity.
According to Richelieu-Booth, he offered to show police proof that the pictures were taken in the U.S., where gun ownership and recreational shooting are legal. Officers allegedly said that wouldn’t be necessary.
A week later, on August 23, police returned to Richelieu-Booth’s home and arrested him on suspicion of possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. He was also allegedly linked to a separate accusation of stalking, based on a photograph of a house that had appeared on his social media.
British man Jon Richelieu-Booth posts a simple photo of himself legally shooting a shotgun while on vacation in America.
UK police kick in his door, arrest him, lock him in a cell overnight, seize all his devices, and lecture him: “Be careful what you say online and how it makes… pic.twitter.com/0EC4C6hRdx
— DonaldTrump1_ (@tyranny_stop) November 30, 2025
Richelieu-Booth was held in a jail cell overnight before being questioned. He was then released on bail but said his personal electronics — including his phone and computer — were seized, making it impossible for him to work during the investigation. He is an independent contractor who works in information technology.
He claims police returned to his house three more times before all charges were eventually dropped. According to him, the experience affected both his personal life and his career.
Richelieu-Booth described the experience as “massive overreach” and questioned why a legal activity in another country led to such serious consequences once he returned to the UK.
“Anybody should be allowed to say anything they wish, as long as it’s not hateful,” he told The Telegraph. “When did we go from a society where you can have a discussion with somebody and say, ‘I don’t like your opinion, but I’ll just disagree,’ to calling the police instead?”
The story gained international attention after it was shared by tech billionaire Elon Musk on social media. Musk commented, “And this is why we have the First and Second Amendments in America,” highlighting the difference in rights between the U.S. and other countries.
Despite being released from his first arrest, Richelieu-Booth was re-arrested in October for allegedly breaching his bail conditions. That charge was later dropped. He was also charged with a public order offence over another social media post, though police did not clarify what the post was. That charge was also dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
He was then scheduled to appear in court on November 25 on a charge of causing alarm or distress, but the CPS dropped that case as well.
Richelieu-Booth says he is now considering filing a formal complaint against West Yorkshire Police for their handling of the situation.
A police spokesperson said officers had received a complaint of stalking involving “serious alarm or distress,” which included social media posts showing Richelieu-Booth with firearms. According to the statement, the complainant believed the posts were threatening. Police investigated and initially charged Richelieu-Booth, but the CPS later discontinued the case.
Richelieu-Booth’s situation has sparked a conversation about social media, freedom of expression, and how legal actions in one country can sometimes lead to legal trouble in another. The case is now closed, but he says the experience has left a lasting impact.
