| Hateland -
Articles |
07/03/02
- 'Klan man' jailed for racial harassment
By Emma Pearson, PA
A former leader of the Ku Klux Klan in Britain who racially
harassed a shopkeeper following the September 11 terrorist
attacks was jailed for three months today. Allan Beshella,
52, of Tonna Road, Maesteg, south Wales, was found guilty
of racially aggravated harassment of an Asian shopkeeper
by Port Talbot magistrates in January.
His case was transferred to Cardiff Crown Court for sentencing
where Judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones QC today jailed
Beshella for three months and placed him under a two-year
restraining order. The court heard that Beshella entered
the Caerau Discount Store and Off Licence in Caerau Road,
Maesteg, and harassed the 37-year-old Muslim owner Mohammed
Nawaz on two occasions.
Mr Nawaz lives above the shop with his wife, Nusrat, three
children and 75-year-old mother. Ieuan Bennett, prosecuting,
said Beshella first entered the shop on Friday September
14 last year when he questioned Mr Nawaz and his wife
about their religion and about his opinions of the terrorist
attacks in America.
He said: "He kept asking Mr Nawaz if he knew who
he was. He said that he was a member of the Ku Klux Klan,
the right-wing American racist organisation. "Before
he left the shop he made other remarks to Mr Nawaz that
caused him to be frightened of the defendant.
"He kept saying words to the effect of 'Kill the
Jews', 'I hate Jews' -saying those words repeatedly."
After being in the shop for 10 to 15 minutes Beshella
left, but he returned two weeks later on Friday September
28, this time with a friend.
Mr Nawaz was with a female shop assistant when the pair
began quizzing Mr Nawaz about what the Pakistan government
was going to do about the Taliban and why Muslim women
wear a veil. The shop assistant told police she heard
Beshella use the term "black b******".
The other man, who was not named, asked Mr Nawaz for two
cans of beer but allegedly refused to pay for them, saying:
"You've got a pretty face. I'm going to mess it up."
He has also been charged in connection with the incident
and is due to appear in court at a later date.
Mr Bennett said: "The defendant told Mr Nawaz he
would like to speak with him upstairs, above the premises.
But Mr Nawaz, not wanting to put himself at risk, ignored
that request and eventually the two men walked out.
"Mr Nawaz was very frightened by the second visit."
When Beshella was arrested he denied making offensive
remarks, saying his comments may have been misinterpreted.
He denied trying to frighten Mr Nawaz and his wife but
admitted telling them he was the "Klan Man"
because "that's who I am".
He told police he had lived in California for about 20
years, but denied any involvement with any extremist organisation.
Martyn Kelly, defending, said Beshella, who is married
with a daughter, was involved in "an organisation"
while living in America.
The judge said Beshella's menacing comments had caused
Mr Nawaz and his wife to be very frightened. "We
live in a democratic society where everyone is entitled
to their opinion and the law will protect that. But that
right carries with it a duty to respect other people's
opinions, race and religion.
"If you and people like you, by racial harassment,
seek to interfere with other people's rights then the
courts will protect them. "What you did was following
the horrific incidents of September 11 last year,"
he said. "You menacingly asked him (Mr Nawaz) if
he knew who you were. You indicated to him that you were
a member of the Ku Klux Klan.
"As a result of that visit Mr Nawaz described himself
as being in fear for his safety and that of his family,
being unable to relax, disturbed by the slightest noise
and unable to sleep. His wife was also shaken.
"There was an underlying threat of menace. It's not
so much the words that you use but it's the underlying
menace that's behind those words that are the aggravating
factor in this offence."
He sent Beshella to prison for three months for a "short,
sharp shock" and ordered him to obey a restraining
order not to communicate with Mr Nawaz or his wife or
approach within 15 yards of the shop for two years.
Mr Nawaz said later that he was disappointed with the
sentence and was now more determined than ever to move
his family out of the area. "I was expecting a lot
longer," he said. "I am very disappointed and
will definitely be moving out of the area if he is going
to be coming back here in three months. It really worries
me."
Anti-racism protesters filled the court and demonstrated
outside, holding banners. A member of the Bridgend Coalition
Against Racism said they were disappointed that Beshella
had received such a short prison sentence.
Spokesman Jeff Hurford said: "People were expecting
a much longer sentence. This is a man who has terrorised
an area for a long period of time. "There's been
a petition in the area supporting the Nawaz family. It
has got hundreds of signatures on it." |
| Contact : bernard.omahoney@bernardomahoney.com |
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