Compare and contrast

What about this lad who got drunk and posted offensive comments on Twitter about Fabrice Muamba who had just collapsed on the pitch at White Hart Lane and as far as anybody knew at the time, might well be dead.  He was sent to gaol for eight weeks and has had his appeal against this sentence turned down.  He has also potentially lost his university place as a result.  Fair?  Too harsh? Can't help comparing it with the MP who also got drunk and started a major punch-up in a House of Commons bar.  He got away with a fine.  Is it the Twitter element which makes the difference?  The effects of the MP's actions were restricted to those who were in the bar where it all took place.  The boy's comments on the other hand were potentially disseminated to the world at large.  Another good reason for keeping as far away as possible from social networking sites.