Prosecutions for Antisemitism
2015 Prosecutions
16th December 2015 - Joshua Bonehill-Paine
Joshua Bonehill-Paine, was unanimously convicted by a jury at Southwark Crown Court of incitement to racial hatred for calling for “anti-Jewification” demonstrations in neighbourhoods with large Jewish populations. The demonstrations ended after action by Campaign Against Antisemitism. His Honour Judge Leonard QC called materials produced by Bonehill-Paine “about the most inflammatory documents I will ever see,” adding, “With time I hope you can mature and see the harm you are doing.”
Bonehill-Paine was sentenced to three years and four months in prison.
22nd October 2015 - Issa Khazaal
Issa Khazaal was found guilty at City of London Magistrates’ Court of performing a Nazi salute directed at a group of Jewish people outside Selfridges on Oxford Street, London. The incident took place in September 2014 at a demonstration.
Khazaal was fined £660 (including £220 due to the racially-aggravated nature of the crime), and ordered to pay £150 in compensation and £777 costs.
2nd October 2015 - Joseph Kelly,17
Joseph Kelly,17, was convicted of an attack on four Jewish boys in Manchester on 5th September 2015. Moshe Fuerst, aged 17, was the most seriously injured. He was knocked unconscious with a blow to the head and continued to be assaulted as he lay helpless on the ground. He suffered a fractured skull and had to be placed in a medically-induced coma. Antisemitic slurs were shouted at the victims and one of their skullcaps was spat on. Kelly pleaded guilty to one count of section 18 assault, one count of section 47 assault and two counts of section 39 assault.
Kelly was sentenced to youth detention for 18 months and ordered to contribute towards a £1,000 payment to the victims.
2nd October 2015 - Zach Birch,17
Zach Birch,17, was convicted of an attack on four Jewish boys in Manchester on 5th September 2015. Moshe Fuerst, aged 17, was the most seriously injured. He was knocked unconscious with a blow to the head and continued to be assaulted as he lay helpless on the ground. He suffered a fractured skull and had to be placed in a medically-induced coma. Antisemitic slurs were shouted at the victims and one of their skullcaps was spat on. Birch pleaded guilty to one count of section 47 assault and two counts of section 39 assault.
Birch was sentenced to youth detention for 12 months and ordered to contribute towards a £1,000 payment to the victims.
18th September 2015 - Nicholas Sweeney, 34
Nicholas Sweeney, 34, from Clapton, pleaded guilty at Thames Stratford Magistrates Court to two counts of racial religious harassment, and criminal damage to a police cell, after shouting antisemitic abuse at two Jewish men. He was reported to police by Shomrim Stamford Hill.
Sweeney was sentenced to 49 days in prison and ordered to pay a £80 victims surcharge and £166 for repairs to the police cell.
September 2015 - Anthony Michael
Anthony Michael pleaded guilty at Stratford Magistrates’ Court to racially threatening behaviour and racially aggravated criminal damage after he was filmed directing a Nazi salute at a Jewish van driver in London.
Michael was sentenced to 16 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. He was also handed a community order for 20 days of rehabilitation activity and ordered to comply with an electronically monitored curfew for 8 weeks. He was also ordered to pay £250 victim compensation and £85 court costs.
24th August 2015 - Taha Bakhit, 24
Taha Bakhit, 24, from Swindon, pleaded guilty at Swindon Crown Court to racially aggravated common assault. He attempted to throttle and blind his flatmate, Sayed Hussain whom he told: “you are Jewish, you are Jewish, you will go to burn in hell fire”. He also threw a fire extinguisher at him and threatened him with a pair of scissors. He told officers he would behead him.
Bakhit was sentenced to nine months in prison.
10th August 2015 - Nicholas Goodwin, 23
Nicholas Goodwin, 23, from Troon, sent a photo of himself with a Nazi flag to a Jewish woman on 29th June 2015 in revenge for her stopping him from contacting her vulnerable son. He was convicted at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court.
Goodwin was sentenced to six months in prison.
10th August 2016 - Adam Elliott, 24
Adam Elliott, 24, from Newcastle, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated harassment, alarm and distress at Newcastle Crown Court to shouting “I’m going to kill all Jews” and “Free Palestine” from a car driven by Muzamel Hussain in Gateshead on 20th July 2014. He then went into a shop and said “I hate Jewish f******”.
Elliott was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months and handed a 12-month supervision order.
10th August 2016 - Muzamal Hussain, 28
Muzamal Hussain, 28, from Fenham, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to racially aggravated harrassment, alarm and distress after Adam Elliott, who was travelling in his car, shouted “I’m going to kill all Jews” and “Free Palestine” through the window as they drove through Gateshead on 20th July 2014.
Hussain was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months and handed a 12-month supervision order.
19th July 2015 - Jakub Lukasz Kawczynski
Jakub Lukasz Kawczynski was challenged by a Jewish man for urinating in public whilst children were playing nearby on 21st June 2015. Kawczynski became very abusive and used racist language, including “F***ing Jewish f***ers”. He was followed by Shomrim who alerted the Police and followed Kawczynski until he was arrested. Kawczynski pleased guilty to racially aggravated harassment at Thames Magistrates’ Court.
Kawczynski was ordered to pay £795, including £200 compensation to the victim.
10th July 2015 - John Curchod
John Curchod pleaded guilty to sending antisemitic tweets just moments before his case was to be heard in Hastings Magistrates’ Court. In August 2014, he tweeted to a Jewish Twitter user: “The world will exterminate you. As Hitler failed to do in entirety.” When other Twitter users tweeted that he should be reported to the police, he replied: ”We are waiting – got the shot guns [sic] man – ready to shoot Jews.” He asked: “Why are Jews so despicable?” clarifying: “I just hate Jews”. He also predicted that “Police probably don’t give a f*** about Jews”.
Churchod was fined £1000 and ordered to pay £650 costs.
6th February 2015 - Mahmudul Choudhury, 35
Mahmudul Choudhury, 35, an IT teacher, was convicted of racially aggravated harassment alarm and distress at Bromley Magistrates’ Court. He had used his Facebook page to praise Hitler for murdering Jews, sharing an image of Hitler captioned: “Yes man, you were right. I could have killed all the Jews, but I left some of them to let you know why I was killing them. Share this picture to tell the truth a whole world.”
Choudhury was fined £465 and ordered to pay a £47 victim surcharge. Campaign Against Antisemitism also secured a Prohibition Order banning Choudhury from teaching for life.
26th January 2015 - Balawal Sultan, 18
Balawal Sultan, 18, from Newcastle, pleaded guilty to assaulting a rabbi at Newcastle Crown Court. He had sent a text message saying: “I’m going to go Jew bashing. Haha.”
Sultan was committed to a young offenders’ institution.
26th January 2015 - Kesa Malik, 19
Kesa Malik, 19, from Newcastle, pleaded guilty to assaulting a rabbi at Newcastle Crown Court.
Malik was committed to a young offenders’ institution.
26th January 2015 - Hassnain Aliamin, 18
Hassnain Aliamin, 18, from Newcastle, pleaded guilty to assaulting a rabbi at Newcastle Crown Court.
Aliamin was committed to a young offenders’ institution.
26th January 2015 - A 17-year-old boy from Newcastle
A 17-year-old boy from Newcastle, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to assaulting a rabbi at Newcastle Crown Court.
The teenager was committed to a young offenders’ institution.