Two men and two women have been convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence following an incident at a Bristol mosque earlier this year.
Kevin Shaun Crehan, 34, of Springleaze, Knowle (pictured left), Alison Bennett, 46, and Mark Bennett, 48 (pictured), both of Spruce Way, Patchway, and Angelina Margaret Swales, 31, of West Town Avenue, Brislington, were sentenced at Bristol Crown Court today following the incident on Sunday 17 January.
Crehan was jailed for 12 months, Mark Bennett was jailed for nine months, Alison Bennett was given a six-month sentence suspended for two years and Swales was given a four-month sentence suspended for two years.
They were all given a restraining order preventing them from going within 100 metres of a mosque anywhere in England or Wales for the next 10 years.
During the incident they shouted racial abuse at a member of the Jamia Mosque on Green Street in the Totterdown area of the city while rashers of bacon were placed on the door handles and a St George’s flag was tied to the fence.
The quartet were identified by members of the public after the Police issued a CCTV image of them committing the offence.
At the court hearing, the judge called the incident an 'attack on England' and 'the principles of freedom of religion'.
Insp Nigel Colston, Bristol neighbourhood manager, said: “I would like to pay tribute to the response of the local community following this incident."
"The way local people came together with overwhelming support for the mosque made me proud to be associated with Bristol."
“It was fantastic to see so many messages of support from groups and individuals. The open meeting at the mosque was packed to the rafters with people who wanted to let mosque worshippers know that they are welcomed and valued."
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