A deputy editor has fired a parting shot at online trolls after leaving her role to work for controversial comedian Jim Davidson.

Dorset Echo deputy group editor Vicky Nash hit out at the abuse of journalists as she said farewell to the regional press after 18 years in the industry.

Vicky worked her last day at the Weymouth-based Echo on Thursday before taking up a new job with Mr Davidson as director of communications at Ustreme, his video streaming service.

The comic is himself no stranger to run-ins with journalists, having aimed a four-letter Twitter tirade at Cornwall Live’s Lee Trewhela in 2018 because he wrote a story highlighting local opposition to a planned show by Mr Davidson in Redruth.

In a comment piece published prior to her departure from the Echo, Vicky wrote: “In an instant, an anonymous troll hiding behind a fake name has the platform to say whatever they want.

“Ironically, it tends to be the people who proudly signal their virtue and boast in their bios of being kind that are the worst culprits.

“I believe passionately in free speech. It is the bedrock on which every democracy survives and thrives and I’m lucky enough to count many brave men who fought for our right to speak freely as friends.

“But when anonymous bullies can target individuals with increasingly personal insults, and outlandish accusations that call into question your professional integrity and leave you concerned that there’s a sinister agenda at the core of their trolling, there is a line that has been crossed.

“The abuse journalists receive on a daily basis is becoming an issue that needs to be called out and dealt with. It’s no longer so funny being the butt of the joke, because the days of light-hearted criticism and banter are long gone.

“Comments sections that were once a friendly forum of debate have become toxic. Even the most innocuous article is met with a barrage of vitriol that inevitably descends into personal insults towards the reporter who wrote it.”

“When TV presenter Caroline Flack took her own life after years of vile abuse by strangers online, the nation collectively called for more kindness. But plastering hearts, rainbow flag emojis, and ‘#bekind’ messages over your social media bios does not a kind person make.

“Maybe, before pressing send on the message you’ve typed out to the journalist you think is fair game for simply reporting on what the council leader has said, perhaps stop and think that there’s a real person on the receiving end of your abuse – and that person is brave enough to show their face.”

Vicky met Mr Davidson last year, writing a positive first-person piece about time she and two “20 somethings” had spent in his company in Weymouth.

Speaking to HTFP, Vicky said: “I interviewed Jim for a feature when he brought his boat to Weymouth and he told me about his streaming channel.

“He got in touch to said he’d offer me a job working for him when it really got going.

“He was true to his word, and here we are. It’s a great opportunity and we’re all really excited about making Ustreme a massive success.”

Mr Davidson added: “Ustreme started with just me and we have grown significantly in the 18 months since we started. It’s now time to move to the next stage of growth.

“The biggest thing for streaming channels is audience retention, which is why we have brought in Vicky to work with us to let everyone know what we are doing.

“When I first asked her if she wanted the job, she told me to f*** off.

“She said she didn’t know what she’d be doing but I knew she’d be great. We wanted to build a team from scratch so we can all learn what we’re doing together.

“Watch this space to see what happens with Ustreme. It’s going to be great.”