Pensioner fined £250 for third offence of sending over 150 harassing letters, including references to “Zionist Jews” being a “death cult” and claiming they will “get us all killed”
James Evans, a 70-year-old pensioner from Worcester, has been fined for harassing Worcester MP Robin Walker after writing him over 150 letters which included references to “Zionist Jews” being a “death cult” and claims that they will “get us all killed in the Third World War.” He also said the Jews were “not a race.” Mr Evans was fined £250, despite him refusing to express remorse and the fact that this is his third conviction for a similar offence.
Mr Evans wrote over 150 letters to Mr Walker between 1st August and 25th November last year. Mr Evans, who represented himself, had previously admitted racially aggravated harassment against Mr Walker when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court to be sentenced.
It is Mr Evans’ third conviction for similar offences, one of which led to a restraining order preventing him from contacting staff at BBC Hereford and Worcester after he sent them 70 offensive letters. It was a restraining order he later breached.
Mr Walter even contacted Mr Evans in an attempt to stop the letters being sent, but he continued to send and hand deliver letters, sometimes several times a day.
Judge Pearce-Higgins asked Mr Evans: “What are you planning? Are you going to keep your thoughts to yourself and not send letters to different people and harass them?” Mr Evans responded: “What you are in effect saying is that I must not express views that you don’t approve of. It seems a bit like Stalinist Russia to me. If you don’t agree with people, define them as mentally ill or as criminals.”
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Pearce-Higgins gave Mr Evans credit for his early guilty plea. No restraining order was made because the judge felt it would be “unworkable.” Mr Walker reportedly also did not seek to stop Mr Evans contacting him, but believed contact should be limited to legitimate, constituency matters.
Campaign Against Antisemitism commends Mr Walker and the authorities for standing up against racism and antisemitism. However, we are disturbed that this recidivist antisemite has been let off with a slap on the wrist, in spite of his repeated offending. This sentence, like others we have recently seen, will hardly deter antisemites.
Image credit: Bill Nicholls
