Source: The Guardian
A street preacher who told a Muslim woman she would “burn in hell” for wearing tight jeans has been found guilty of religiously aggravated threatening behaviour.
Krissoni Henderson also called his victim a non-believer and a prostitute before branding police “disgusting” atheists, Birmingham magistrates court was told.
Henderson, 31, was arrested in July after former social worker Noor Alneaimi, who had recently undergone eye surgery, made a complaint to West Midlands police about his behaviour.
The student told Henderson’s trial she heard him shouting abusive language to a passerby in New Street, Birmingham, before he told her: “Look at your tight jeans.”
Alneaimi, who stressed Henderson was not preaching at the time of the offence, told an earlier hearing: “He directed the conversation to me and started saying ‘you are a kafir’.
“He said, ‘You shall burn in hell. Look at your jeans they are so tight. You will burn in hell for wearing such clothes.’
“I said, ‘I am going to report you to the authorities’ and he said, ‘They can’t do nothing. I am going to come down your house and blow up you and your house.’”
Alneaimi, 38, who gave evidence from behind a screen, said: “For him to think that I am a non-Muslim and for him to class me as a non-believer – I was just astounded and absolutely terrified.”
Police body-camera footage played to magistrates showed Henderson berating officers after they called at his flat a day after the incident.
The footage showed Henderson saying he was sick and tired of racism, and calling one officer a “filthy disgusting beast” and a “statue worshipper” before another officer advised him: “You need to chill yourself out. I just want you to put your shoes on.”
Alneaimi, who stressed Henderson was not preaching at the time of the offence, told an earlier hearing: “He directed the conversation to me and started saying ‘you are a kafir’.
“He said, ‘You shall burn in hell. Look at your jeans they are so tight. You will burn in hell for wearing such clothes.’
“I said, ‘I am going to report you to the authorities’ and he said, ‘They can’t do nothing. I am going to come down your house and blow up you and your house.’”
Alneaimi, 38, who gave evidence from behind a screen, said: “For him to think that I am a non-Muslim and for him to class me as a non-believer – I was just astounded and absolutely terrified.”
Police body-camera footage played to magistrates showed Henderson berating officers after they called at his flat a day after the incident.
The footage showed Henderson saying he was sick and tired of racism, and calling one officer a “filthy disgusting beast” and a “statue worshipper” before another officer advised him: “You need to chill yourself out. I just want you to put your shoes on.”
Categories: Europe, Extremism, Religion, The Muslim Times, UK