Antisemitic insults lead to hate crime conviction
A man who subjected members of the public to a tirade of abuse has been convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence after making antisemitic remarks to one of his victims.
John Haynes, 53, verbally abused several people in Ripley, Derbyshire, after drinking heavily on the morning of 9 May. He targeted individuals in and outside retail premises, swearing repeatedly, behaving aggressively and singling out victims for abuse.
On one occasion, he made personal comments about a victim’s appearance. On another, he used an antisemitic slur and made threats. He had been released from prison just two days earlier.
Haynes was arrested 10 days later after neighbours reported further incidents, including banging on doors and windows, shouting obscenities and behaving in an intimidating manner. When officers attended, he spat at an arresting officer.
The Crown Prosecution Service reviewed the evidence and charged Haynes with racially aggravated harassment in relation to his antisemitic abuse and threats. He was also charged with three further offences of using threatening words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress for the incidents on 9 May, a further offence of the same nature for his conduct on 19 May, and assaulting an emergency worker in relation to spitting at the officer.
He was sentenced to 26 weeks’ imprisonment, increased by the court from a 20-week starting point to reflect the racially aggravated nature of the offending.
Sarah Lloyd, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “John Haynes’ alcohol-fuelled behaviour caused significant alarm and distress to members of the public.
“Everyone has the right to go about their daily lives without being subjected to abuse or intimidation. Where offenders use hostility based on protected characteristics such as race or religion, we will always seek to reflect that seriousness in our prosecutions.
“The court rightly recognised this was a hate crime and increased his sentence accordingly.”
Notes to editors
- John Haynes (DOB: 18/09/1972), from Moseley Street, Ripley, was convicted at Derby Magistrates Court on 21 May.
- He pleaded guilty to:
- One count of racially aggravated harassment contrary to section 31 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- [Three] counts of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress contrary to section 4A of the Public Order Act 1986
- One further count of the same offence relating to conduct on 19 May
- One count of assaulting an emergency worker contrary to section 1 of the Assaults on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018
- The court increased the sentence to reflect the racially aggravated element, in line with sentencing guidelines, and also to reflect the assault on an emergency worker.
- A hate crime is any criminal offence where it is proved the offender was motivated by or demonstrated hostility based on race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or transgender identity.