The personal details of Fusilier Lee Rigby’s family were posted online by an internet troll who claimed his murder was a conspiracy, a court heard.

Christopher Spivey, of Rochford, Essex, claimed the killing was made up to provoke anti-Islamic feelings.

He has now been found guilty of harassing the Middleton soldier’s family and warned he faces jail.

The 52-year-old denied two counts of harassment and two of sending grossly offensive messages over social media, but was found guilty after a two-day trial at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court, the Crown Prosecution Service said.

In a statement read to the court, Fusilier Rigby’s mother, Lyn Rigby, said she found his claims ‘extremely disturbing’ and ‘sick’.

During the trial, magistrates heard Spivey made the bizarre claims on a website where he regularly posts his opinions about world events.

In his 11-month campaign, he claimed family photos of the Rigbys had been doctored on Photoshop and said the soldier had never actually existed.

A memorial in memory of murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby in Middleton

Spivey made direct contact with members of the Rigby family as they struggled to come to terms with their loss and also posted some of their personal details online, the court heard.

Jenny Hopkins, chief crown prosecutor for CPS East of England, said: “Mr Spivey posted a number of comments on social media about the murder of Fusilier Rigby which were very upsetting to his family and friends.

“People can and do post all kinds of comments on social media and are not prosecuted for them, but in this case we were satisfied that the posts crossed the line into criminal behaviour aimed at the Rigby family.

“The prosecution’s case was that the combination of the postings, containing a mixture of grossly offensive remarks about the Rigby family, upsetting assertions surrounding the murder, and the publication of details of two of the family’s homes, could not be justified under freedom of speech.

“After hearing all the evidence, the court has found Mr Spivey’s behaviour in uploading these posts amounted to the harassment of Lyn Rigby and Sara McClure, Fusilier Rigby’s mother and sister.”

Fusilier Rigby, 25, was murdered as he returned to his barracks in Woolwich, south-east London, on May 22 2013.

Michael Adebolajo was given a whole-life term and Michael Adebowale was jailed for a minimum of 45 years at the Old Bailey for murder last year.

Spivey will be sentenced on August 27.