Shehroz Iqbal avoids prison despite second conviction for antisemitic threats, escaping with order to attend “thinking skills” programme

Convicted antisemite Shehroz Iqbal has avoided prison despite being convicted a second time of making antisemitic threats.

Mr Iqbal was first convicted in October 2016 after making antisemitic death threats in September 2015 when he shouted “I’m going to kill you, I’m going to kill all of you Jews — you killed my brothers” at a Jewish motorist. Volunteers from Stamford Hill Shomrim, the Jewish neighbourhood watch patrol, followed Iqbal’s car until officers from the Metropolitan Police Service arrived to arrest him.

Mr Iqbal then decided to contact Stamford Hill Shomrim on 6th November 2017, sending an e-mail with the subject “Please remove my picture from your website”. In the e-mail he made further death threats, writing: “Please remove my picture from my [sic] website or I will personally come and see you…please do it as soon as possible. I am a mad man.  I don’t like my picture coming up on a Google shirt [sic]. I am very angry.” A few hours later he followed up with a second e-mail, writing: “Hahaha ah so many people have taking [sic] the piss out of your Zionist murdering community. I have no remorse for what I done [sic] hahaha. I see many other people have committed offences like me. Allah O Akbar! Keep my picture up for I am smiling at the officer haha. My day will come where [sic] I will come and see you in your office regarding my picture. Your Zionist murdering community.”

Stamford Hill Shomrim made a complaint to the Metropolitan Police Service.

On 10th July, Mr Iqbal pleaded guilty to sending a false message over a public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety, under section 127(2)(a) of the Communications Act 2003.

Thames Magistrates’ Court allowed him to escape prison, instead sentencing him to 11 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to participate in an accredited thinking skills and rehabilitation programme for 19 days. He was also ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid community service, to pay compensation of £100, a surcharge to fund victim services of £115 and prosecution costs of £85.

Campaign Against Antisemitism commends Stamford Hill Shomrim for its zero tolerance approach to antisemitism, however we are dismayed that Mr Iqbal has received such a lenient sentence on his second conviction. He had clearly stated in his e-mail that he was remorseless. This is a sentence that will embolden antisemites, not deter them.

On 10/07/2018 Shehroz Iqbal pleaded GUILTY to sending emails to #Shomrim (screenshot attached), after he was previously convicted of #antisemitic threats in #StamfordHill.

Sentenced to 11 weeks imprisonment (suspended-18 months), 60hrs unpaid work, £100 to victim, £115+£85 costs pic.twitter.com/daiXjl3VpD

— Shomrim (Stamford Hill) (@Shomrim) July 15, 2018