Jamie Sewart, who has faced almost two years of legal proceedings and is now returning to normal life, has said that Juror Joanne Fraill has been handed a harsh punishment.

Fraill and defendant Jamie Sewart had a conversation about the case on the social networking site and as a result wrecked the trail wasting 10 weeks and costing £6m. Fraill admitted to contacting Sewart online and faces up to two years in prison over the breach. Sewart said the court had made an example of Fraill by sending her to jail.

The court ordered Fraill to jail for eight months for wrecking the drug trial involving Sewart. The solicitor general, Edward Garnier QC acting on behalf of the attorney general, Dominic Grieve, accused Fraill and Sewart of acting in "plain contempt of court".  

Fraill said she emailed Sewart while the jury was discussing the drugs trail in August last year because she felt "empathetic" and saw "considerable parallels" between their lives.

“I really feel for the woman, and I do think it was a bit harsh, especially if you put it in perspective with some other sentences people get. I think they have put a warning out to jurors who use computers during a trial,” said Sewart. Sewart had denied charges, but was given a two-month sentence, suspended for two years.