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A family were subjected to a terrifying racist attack by a gang of yobs in the west end of Newcastle as they tried to move in their furniture

Daniel McStay, jailed for racist attacks in Elswick

Daniel McStay, jailed for racist attacks in Elswick

Vile racist thugs drove an Asian family out of their new home as they tried to move in.

The Ali family pulled up outside their new house in Elswick, Newcastle, only to be greeted by a seething gang of young yobs.

Boxer Daniel McStay and five or six youths started punching and kicking their car, telling them to get off “their estate” and threatening to kill them.

Terrified Mr Ali, who had his wife and three daughters in the car, frantically began reversing to try to get away as the gang kicked his car.

One of them threw a pint glass of beer at the back of his car, which smashed showering the car with alcohol and glass.

Fifteen minutes later McStay and two youths subjected another man to a racist attack as he waited in his car for his friend outside Elswick mosque.

As McStay, 22, was jailed for eight months, Mr Ali told how the incident had left him and his family scared to move in.

He said: “We had been looking forward to moving in to the new house but now we do not wish to do so.

“My daughters and wife are extremely upset, we have not been involved in an incident like this before.

“My family have been racially targeted for no reason. The damage to my car can be repaired, however mentally we have all suffered.”

Newcastle Crown Court heard the family were taking furniture to the house on Brittania Place, Elswick, around 3pm on March 23, ahead of moving in.

Just after Mr Ali, his wife and daughters, aged, 10, 18 and 19, pulled up, McStay and the others approached from behind, swigging alcohol.

Neil Pallister, prosecuting, said one of them shouted: “You better not be moving here or we will kill you, this is our estate.”

There followed a tirade of vile racist abuse and a 17-year-old started punching the driver’s side window shouting “Get out of here or I will kill you.”

Mr Pallister said: “All of the males were involved in the racial abuse and McStay joined in.

“Clearly Mr Ali and his family were in great fear and he began reversing his car down the street and turned round to drive away.

“As he reversed his car the group began kicking his car and ran after him and his family.

“One of them threw a pint glass which hit the rear window of the car, smashing glass and showering the car with alcohol as they drove away.”

After getting clear of the attack and reporting it to police, the family saw their car had been dented, causing hundreds of pounds of damage.

Mr Pallister said: “They were too scared and frightened to move into the address.”

Just fifteen minutes later McStay and two youths targeted an 18-year-old as he waited in his car outside Elswick mosque.

He was racially abused and told to leave the area and also had his car kicked.

Mr Pallister said: “The victim was very fearful for his safety and he locked his car door but the males continued to shout racial abuse at him.

“Fearing for his safety he felt obliged to reverse away out of the location. As he slowly drove away the gang followed him, waving their hands to shoo him away and one of them kicked his vehicle.”

Police caught up with them nearby and eventually Mcstay was also charged over the earlier attack after his trainer print was found on Mr Ali’s car.

McStay, of Kenilworth Road, Elswick, pleaded guilty to two charges of racially aggravated harassment, racially aggravated criminal damage and possessing cannabis.

He has previous convictions for offences including racially aggravated threatening words or behaviour, arson and affray.

Andrew Walker, defending, said: “These incidents were utterly reprehensible, deeply unpleasant and grossly offensive to those to whom it was aimed.

“It was pathetic in terms of the ignorance of those involved, who should all be utterly ashamed of themselves.”

Mr Walker added that McStay, who he said was not the prime mover, takes part in unlicenced boxing bouts.

Two 17-year-olds involved in the incidents were sent to the youth court to be dealt with.

Newcastle Chronicle

mcstay

mcstay 1

Cars are cleaned up after the graffiti attacks last November, by Ethan Hesketh

Cars are cleaned up after the graffiti attacks last November, by Ethan Hesketh

A FATHER-of-one who sprayed racist graffiti in Blackburn has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Ethan Hesketh, 24, covered property in a predominantly Asian area of the town with the letters ‘EDL’ and other offensive language.

The court heard how the defendant, formerly of Blackburn, but now living in Derby Square, Preston, also damaged 11 cars and stonework in Shear Brow and a sign belonging to Abbeydale Vets.

He pleaded guilty to five counts of racially aggravated criminal damage and nine further counts of criminal damage.

Sentencing him to 35 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, Judge Stuart Baker, sitting at Preston Crown Court, said the damage would have caused the victims ‘annoyance and inconvenience’.

He told Hesketh: “You were motivated by some antipathy towards people who are not British.

“You have brought this on yourself.

“These are serious offences because you left so many victims no doubt feeling thoroughly annoyed.”

And the judge asked Hesketh, who claimed he had almost given up drinking alcohol since causing the damage, if he was trying to make a statement by wearing a T shirt with the slogan ‘Let’s Get Smashed’ in court.

Hesketh replied: “I was in a rush this morning.”

As well as the suspended sentence, Hesketh must go back to the court periodically to make sure he is making progress, must attend a thinking skills course and pay £350 prosecution costs.

He will also be electronically tagged with a curfew from 8pm to 6am.

Defending, Amanda Johnson said Hesketh now had a job and was involved in looking after his two-year-old daughter.

She said: “He has no desire at all to go back to Blackburn. He has severed entirely contact with his previous crowd.

“No doubt having now had a couple of months of abstinence from illegal substances and, to a large extent, alcohol, he looks back and can see what were the negative influences in his life.

“He acknowledges that these offences are serious and wishes me to convey his remorse to the court.”

Nicola Riley, of East Park Road, Blackburn, was also charged in connection with the graffiti. No evidence was offered in her case and not guilty verdicts were entered.

This is Lancashire

Georgina Gontar, 20, of Old Woking, pleaded guilty to a breach of an Asbo, four offences of racially aggravated criminal damage and two of causing criminal damage when she appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday (April 17).

The graffiti, including the the name “Bin Laden” and the letters “EDL”, was daubed inside a shop at Lion Retail Park, on a wall in view of the Shah Jahan Mosque in Oriental Road and outside properties in Walton Road on November 12 last year.

For the Asbo breach and racially aggravated criminal damage, Gontar received a custodial sentence of 10 weeks, suspended for 12 months.

For the criminal damage she received a custodial sentence of seven weeks, suspended for 12 months, to run concurrently with the first term.

During the 12-month period, Gontar has a supervisory order in place and she is required to participate in a diversity awareness and prejudice programme.

The magistrates also ordered Gontar to pay compensation of £650 to the James Walker Group, £40 to Hobbycraft and £20 to Unit 18 Boundary Way at the hearing.

She was jointly charged with 19-year-old Laura Woodward of Addlestone.

Get Surrey

Woking People

THREE people are to appear in court next month accused of spraying racially offensive remarks on three buildings, including a mosque.

It relates to alleged spray painting incidents at the Nasir Mosque, in Brougham Place, Hartlepool, and at the Albert Guest House, in Front Street, and the Milco store, in Front Street, both Shotton Colliery, County Durham, which all took place on Tuesday November 16 last year.

Anthony Donald Smith, 24, of Hampshire Place, Peterlee, and 31-year-old Steven James Vasey, of Prior’s Grange, High Pittington, both County Durham, plus 19-year-old Charlotte Davies, of Aylesbury, in Buckinghamshire, have been charged with racially aggravated criminal damage.

All three have been bailed by police to appear before North Durham magistrates, at Peterlee, on Wednesday May 11.

Durham Police said that at the time of the alleged incidents all three claimed to be members of the English Defence League.

Northern Echo

A 25-year-old English Defence League member has pleaded guilty to daubing hate graffiti on land being considered as a site for a mosque.

Christopher Payne of Hucknall admitted spraying the graffiti but denied putting a pig’s head on the site in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.

He appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court and will be sentenced on 21 July.

Police went to the property on 23 June where the slogan “No Mosque Here” was found spray painted on the ground.
Pig’s head

Payne pleaded guilty to causing racially or religiously aggravated alarm, dissent or distress and causing racially aggravated criminal damage.

Three other men aged 19, 21 and 31, have been arrested and questioned about the incident.

Payne, of Beardsmore Close, Hucknall, who is an events planner for the English Defence League, told the court that he sprayed the slogan but did not put the pig’s head on the grassland.

He was granted bail with a curfew but ordered to stay out of West Bridgford and not to go within 200m of a mosque.

He has also been told not to have any public association with the English Defence League.

A member of the public reported finding the graffiti near Collington Way in West Bridgford on Thursday.

BBC News

David Morris,21,bought the bacon later strewn over the mosque and caught out when he photographed co-defendant Alfie Wallace holding a stick.

David Morris,21,bought the bacon later strewn over the mosque and caught out when he photographed co-defendant Alfie Wallace holding a stick.


Three men who joined a hooded and masked gang to attack Kingston Mosque with sticks and bottles have been jailed today.

Judge Georgina Kent overturned their pleas for leniency after hearing that all three men still denied being involved in the attack on November 21, 2010.

David Morris, 21, bought the bacon later strewn over the mosque and caught out when he photographed co-defendant Alfie Wallace holding a stick.

He was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court to six months imprisonment for racially aggravated criminal damage.

Racist Alfie Wallace, 19, was sentenced to a total of 12 months in a Young Offenders Institution for religiously aggravated criminal damage and violent disorder.

The court heard he had shouted out “I’m being arrested by a black man” in connection with another earlier offence.

Martin Pottle, 24, was sentenced to a total of 14 months in prison for religiously aggravated criminal damage and violent disorder.

He had lied to police to try and pretend he was nowhere near the mosque before admitting during the trial that he was.

CCTV from a mosque camcorder identified him as among the fleeing gang by a distinctive streak in his hair.

Your Local Guardian

He was on bail for affray when he joined the attack.

Some of their acquitted former co-defendants in the trial, Paul Abley, Jordan Ellingham, Adam Khalfan and James Stacey watched from the public dock.

The court heard from Morris’ defence counsel Mr Robertson that he was polite and helpful and said it was a borderline case for prison.

Wallace’s counsel Miss Macatonia said he was only 17 when the attack took place and he had a scheme connected with the Olympics to help young people with right-wing views.

And Mr O’Toole representing Pottle said since he completed a six month prison sentence for affray he had a child with his girlfriend and wanted to turn his life around.

But delivering her verdict Judge Geraldine Kent said: “You had no legitimate reason to go to the mosque at all.

“This is not a case of a legitimate protest that spiralled out of control.

“The attack on the mosque was an unprovoked attack against innocent people inside the mosque and it frightened members of the public who should be able to go about their daily lives in a residential street without fear.”

A MAN who stormed into a takeaway and threatened staff with a pizza shovel while shouting racial slurs, denied he was a racist because he had “lots of paki and coloured friends”.

Neil Mitchell, 42, of Woodland Avenue in Skellingthorpe, has been found guilty of racially aggravated threatening behaviour and racially aggravated criminal damage.

Neil Mitchell

AWAITING SENTENCE: Neil Mitchell, 41, of Woodland Avenue, Skellingthorpe, has been found guilty of racially aggravated threatening behaviour and racially aggravated criminal damage.

 

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard that Mitchell went to Caldo Pizza in Woodfield Avenue, Birchwood on Thursday, January 6 after he was given the wrong kebab by staff.

Mitchell slammed the chicken kebab on the counter before swearing at owner Hamid Banki.

The court heard he asked staff “Can’t you understand English” and called them “f***ing foreigners” and “pakis” before picking up a pizza shovel and brandishing it at them.

A bowl was damaged during the altercation.

But in an interview with police, Mitchell claimed he was not a racist because he “had lots of paki and coloured friends” and a friend in his phone called “nig nog”.

At an earlier hearing, Mitchell pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour and causing criminal damage but denied they were racially aggravated.

Lois Colley, prosecuting, asked Mitchell: “On a number of occasions during your police interview you mimicked the accents of staff at the shop. Do you find that offensive?”

Wearing a dark suit and standing defiantly in the dock Mitchell replied: “No. Is it offensive for a northerner to mimic a southerner?”

Ms Colley then put to Mitchell: “You said in interview you had lots of “paki” and “coloured” friends and that you had a friend in your phone called ‘nig nog’ “.

Mitchell replied: “Nig nog is a white guy, it was a name he had from the Army.

“He got the name because he was always dirty and would wear paint on his face.”

Referring to the incident at Caldo Pizza, Mitchell then told magistrates: “I hadn’t slept for three nights because my father is ill with Parkinson’s disease.

“They had got my order wrong again, so I went back to demand my money back, and petrol money as well.

“The chef started getting a bit cocky and it escalated from there.

“I said ‘Can’t you understand English?’, but it wasn’t a racist remark.

“I grew up in the ghetto where life was tough. Where I came from, things were different and you could have a bit of banter.

“I never used racist words, I can’t understand why they thought I did.”

Richard Marshall, in mitigation, said: “Mr Mitchell comes from a different background, but it is clear he didn’t use overtly racist language.”

Adjourning sentencing for further reports, chairman of the bench Robert Cox said: “You have accepted threatening behaviour and criminal damage offences but we have come to the conclusion they were racially aggravated.

“Mr Mitchell’s use of words in both interview and the witness box demonstrates an underlying hostility to racial minorities.”

Sentencing was adjourned until Friday July 8 awaiting further reports.

This is Lincolnshire

A Quran was ’desecrated’ and racist graffiti daubed at a mosque, it has emerged.

Two teenagers have been charged with racially aggravated criminal damage connected with the incident in Chorley.

Police said intruders entered the Dawat Ul Islam Masjid, also known as Chorley Mosque, in Brooke Street, before causing interior damage and damaging various items, including a Quran.

Officers added that racially-abusive graffiti was found on walls at the building during the incident.

Police said that their investigations had not linked the attack to any organised anti-Islamic group.

Coun Hasina Khan, who lives nearby and represents Chorley east on the borough council, said many Muslims in the town were shocked by the incident.

She said: “Every religion and all places of worship should be given the greatest of respect by all members of the community.”

She added: “Chorley is a place of cohesion between the communities and incidents like this are very rare.”

Sergeant Kevin Mountain, from the Chorley neighbourhood police team, said: “We treat incidents of this nature with the utmost gravity.

“I would urge anyone who feels they have been subjected to a crime because of their race or religious beliefs to contact us immediately and we will investigate fully.”

 The £500,000 mosque, which opened five years ago, has a capacity for more than 500 worshippers and was the first purpose-built mosque in Chorley.

Its facilities include a wash room and two large prayer rooms on each floor.

The incident happened on April 16 but police have only just released details after charging two people.

Daniel Barrow, 18, of Berkeley Close, Chorley, has been bailed to appear before Blackburn magistrates on July 15 charged with racially-aggravated criminal damage.

A 17-year-old youth has been bailed to appear before a juvenile court in Chorley on July 5 charged with two counts of racially aggravated criminal damage.

The Citizen

Six West Yorkshire men and one youth have today been sentenced at Leeds Crown Court following a demonstration and disorder in Cleckheaton, Dewsbury and Heckmondwike in March last year.

The defendants from Bradford pleaded guilty to the charges made against them and will spend more than six years behind bars for the roles they played on the day.

Kevin Angelo Docherty (29) of Grisedale Close, admitted charges of violent disorder and racially aggravated criminal damage and was jailed for 14 months. Robert Adrian Collington (27) of Bedivere Road and Mark Peel (24) of Bolton Hall Road were given 12 months each for violent disorder, while David Kenneth Lawler (30) of Bradford Road, Shipley, was given a 13-month sentence for the same offence.

Also jailed for violent disorder was Ben Phelps (19), who received 10 months, while Steven Philip Woodhead (33) of Heysham Drive was given four months for racially aggravated common assault. A 17-year-old youth who cannot be named received a 12-month youth rehabilitation order.

On the afternoon of Saturday 17 March the English Defence League took part in a peaceful, pre-planned demonstration in Cleckheaton Town Centre. After two hours the group of around 60 people dispersed and a number of men made their way to various locations around Kirklees purporting to be part of the EDL displaying posters and flags as well as shouting abuse at members of the public.

Shortly after the demonstration concluded police responded to reports that a window at the Co-Op Travel Agents on Northgate in Heckmondwike had been smashed, then at around 4pm police received reports of disorder in Dewsbury Town Centre on Northgate and Corporation Street.

Two Asian men travelling in a Vauxhall Corsa were approached on Northgate when stopped at traffic lights and were racially abused. They were spat at as well as their car being damaged after a drink was thrown.

A group of men in Corporation Street had also racially abused and assaulted a 35-year-old Asian man. They knocked him to the floor leaving him with a black eye and bruising to his ribs. He received hospital treatment for his injuries.

Detective Inspector Andy Leonard said: “We welcome the sentences passed today and hope they serve as a warning to those who think its acceptable to abuse people because of the colour of their skin or their religious beliefs and also cause mindless damage.

“We support the right to a peaceful protest however this is an example of when we have had to take positive action against the minority who abuse this.

“These incidents cause fear and concern for innocent members of the public caught up in them and we will simply not tolerate such behaviour.

“Kirklees Division embarked upon a painstaking investigation in order to ensure those responsible were brought to justice and all this hard work has resulted in the sentences imposed by the Courts today.

“We would like to thank the many members of the public who have assisted with this investigation which underlines our ongoing commitment to ensuring the safety of the public in Kirklees.”

West Yorkshire Police

Dewsbury Reporter