Man fined after flags painted and woman abused
A man has been ordered to pay nearly £3,000 after an incident in which St George’s crosses were painted on homes and a woman was racially abused.
Footage, filmed by Alex Jones, was widely shared on social media and showed two shirtless men painting above a row of shops off Whitmore Way in Basildon, Essex, on 22 August.
He was believed to have encouraged the pair, before being heard racially abusing a woman who was walking past.
Jones, 34, of Jazz Lane in the town, admitted causing criminal damage and of causing racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress. He was ordered to pay £2,854 in compensation and fined a further £80 at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The crosses were painted above a convenience store, a pharmacy and food outlets including an Indian restaurant, a Chinese takeaway and a burger bar.
In the video, a young girl could be seen watching, and racial slurs were heard being shouted as a woman wearing a head scarf walked past with a child.
Essex Police said it received “multiple reports” about the footage.
At the time, Ch Insp Paul Hogben said: “Regardless of anyone’s thoughts or views, causing damage by applying paint to people’s properties is clearly a criminal offence.
“Aside from that simple fact, some of the language directed towards a member of the public in this incident was disgraceful.”
Essex Police said a second man accepted a caution over the incident.
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