From the
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk By Sutton & Wandsworth, 1st November 2017.
Pub landlord wrote 'Death to Allah' Islamophobic note on flight.
Joseph Breslin at Isleworth Crown court where he was sentenced for
scrawling "death to Allah" on his armrest on a plane.
Photo: Andrew
Matthews/PA.
A Hayes man who wrote ‘Death to Allah’ on a plane’s armrest and an
Islamophobic note to two Arabic passengers has been spared jail.
Business class passenger Joseph Breslin, 36, was onboard a Qatar Airways
flight from Doha to London Heathrow when he vandalised the plane by
scribbling on the seat, Isleworth Crown Court heard.
Meanwhile, the note said: “Death to Allah. F*** the rag-heads.”
He dropped it between two people on the flight while cabin crew who
witnessed what pub landlord Breslin wrote on July 8 were "shocked", the
court heard.
Although fellow passengers Muneera Al-Gahtari and Salem Omar Shamlam
could not read English, it was when the note was translated to them that
they felt terrified.
The damage caused to the armrest was around £983, and the total cost to
the airline – in addition to not being able to use the seat – was
£3,604.
Prosecutor Ravinder Johal said: “As he left his seat he approached two
other passengers and placed a note on the table between the two seats.
“It was clearly provocative and designed to elicit a response from those
two Arabic complainants.”
Breslin, who was returning from honeymoon with his pregnant wife, was
seen writing on the armrest in pen by a flight attendant after the plane
had landed, and seen dropping the note by another.
Jeremy Wainwright, defending, said the defendant was "extremely
remorseful" and a "pillar of the community".
Breslin sobbed in court as character statements written by several
people were read out by Mr Wainwright and how he subsequently lost his
licence to sell alcohol.
He was sentenced to a community order and ordered to carry out 160 hours
of unpaid work.
In addition, he has been ordered to pay £3,604 in damages and £300
towards prosecution costs.
Judge Recorder Bruce Houlden QC said Breslin had been complaining
earlier in the flight about the service onboard, however nothing in his
actions were justifiable.
He added: “It is difficult to think of a phrase, particularly in these
times, more offensive and more inflammatory than those words coming from
a grown man who should have known better.”
But the judge said he could spare Breslin jail because of his good
character, and added: “I have no doubt that you have been of immense
benefit to your local community.
"I accept too that you are remorseful.
"It is clear that you had just got married, you were bringing your wife
back to the country. She was pregnant.
“Your business was under strain. And that was something that was very
much on your mind.
“And you had recently given up smoking. For a number of other reasons,
you were under considerable stress.”
Breslin, of Station Approach, admitted to two counts of racially or
religiously aggravated harassment and one count of racially aggravated
criminal damage.
|