BNP activist jailed for inciting racial hatred

A BNP activist has been jailed for four months for posting thousands of racist leaflets around the Muslim community in Glasgow.

David Wilson, 31, a father of two, was sentenced after being found guilty of inciting racial hatred last year. He posted the leaflets through as many as 4,000 doors in the Pollokshields area of the city, urging residents to stop “militant Muslims”.

Yesterday, security was stepped up as Wilson appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court for sentencing amid fears of clashes between anti-nazi protesters and BNP activists. Sheriff Linda Ruxton told Wilson: “You have been convicted of distributing written material which was threatening, abusive and insulting, whereby you intended to stir up racial tensions in Pollokshields.

“Such conduct threatens to destabilise a community and threatens to undermine all the efforts by the community to enjoy good racial relations.

“A sentence of imprisonment is only appropriate given the nature of the offence.

“It should also serve as a strong deterrent to others, making clear that such behaviour strikes at the heart of community life and will not be tolerated.”

Sheriff Ruxton then jailed him for four months.

Afterwards, the outcome was widely welcomed by anti-racism protesters in Scotland.

At an earlier hearing, Wilson, of Dalmuir, Glasgow, became the first person north of the Border to be convicted of the offence of inciting racial hatred after it was proved he targeted one particular nationality with the racist literature.

Ninety per cent of Muslims in the Pollokshields area come from Pakistan.

The court was told Wilson had joined other BNP members posting the letters to the homes of both blacks and whites in July last year.

Their campaign group – Families Against Immigrant Racism – alleged white people were being subjected to a series of violent attacks on the south side of the city.

About 100 police officers were drafted in with another 20 in the courtroom as Wilson was led in.

Kenneth Waddell, defending, told the court his client had already suffered as the offence had destroyed his marriage. It is also believed he will more than likely now be sacked from his 20,000 a year job as an engineer at BAE Systems, in the city.

The Scotsman

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