Drunk man called Northumbria Police threatening to torch a mosque and ‘stab a Muslim’

Scott Hughes had been on a three-day drinking binge when he made ‘abhorrent’ threats while in Whitley Bay

A drunk man rang police saying he was a racist and was going to set fire to a mosque and “stab a Muslim in the neck”.

When Scott Hughes contacted Northumbria Police reporting making the stab threat, officers went to a pub in Whitley Bay where they believed him to be. He wasn’t there but police were told a man had been sitting alone in the beer garden in a heavily intoxicated state rambling on the phone.

An officer called the number Hughes had used to contact them and spoke to him. During the call he said “I’m a racist” before saying he was going to “go mental at the metro station”.

He then said “I’m going to go to the f****** west end and burn them out.” Asked who he meant, he said “Muslims” and used a racist term. Asked why, he said: “It’s what I believe in. I’m f****** right wing. I will burn them before they burn us”.

He went on to say the police needed to catch him “before I torch a mosque or something”. The officer made a further 13 calls to him and he would answer briefly before hanging up. He then sent a text to the officer saying “tick tock boom”

Hughes, 40, of no fixed address, was arrested the following day and said he was intoxicated at the time. He pleaded guilty to sending a communication threatening death or serious harm and sending by a public network offensive, indecent or menacing messages.

Recorder Richard Herrmann said it was a hate crime but added: “You profess not to genuinely hold the abhorrent views and intentions your aired in the phone calls. Others say the same about you and you seem to have satisfied the probation officer about that and there’s no other evidence of it.

“You have considerable difficulties and undoubtedly need help.” He was sentenced to four months suspended for 18 months with an alcohol treatment requirement and a mental health treatment requirement, both for nine months.

Mark Harrison, defending, said: “There’s nothing I can say that goes anywhere close to explaining the absolutely disgusting language used by the defendant or the abhorrent views espoused by the defendant, in drink. He has a long-standing history of struggling with the misuse of alcohol and there had been three days of near constant alcohol misuse.

“He had been sat at the pub in floods of tears from time to time. He has almost no recollection about the repugnant language and sentiments expressed during those phone calls.

“The only people the threats were made to were the emergency services. This was a cry for help.”

The Chronicle