Sunderland, U.K: In an incident happened last July, a 56-year-old man, who had abused a Muslim woman and had pulled her niqab (veil), has been jailed for 15 months.
Peter Scotter had shouted: “You are in our country now” when he attacked his victim, who was with her young son, at a Sunderland shopping centre.
Scotter, who is from Beach Street, Roker, had admitted racially aggravated assault by beating and racially aggravated harassment, was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court, reported BBC.
The judge said it was “appalling abusive behaviour grounded in religious bigotry”. In a previous hearing, the court was told that the victim, 29, was standing outside the Bridges shopping centre when Scotter grabbed her veil and almost threw her to the ground. When he was arrested he stated: “She could have been a bomber.”
The case had been postponed several times as Scotter’s lawyer told the court that he is undergoing treatment for cancer. On the other hand, His victim was left feeling as if she could not go out, prosecutor Laura Lax said.
The court heard, Scotter had 70 previous convictions, including throwing bricks with racist stickers on them at a house with refugees inside. Scotter was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.