Man Sentenced for Threatening Calls to Finsbury Park Mosque
Lee Harper, from Hornsey, was sentenced on March 10 at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court. He received a 10-week suspended prison term and an 18-month supervision order.
Additionally, he was banned from contacting or visiting the mosque for five years and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work, the Metropolitan Police website reported on Monday.
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The Met Police investigation began after a mosque representative reported receiving multiple threatening calls on January 21. Detectives determined the calls originated from Haringey and arrested Harper at his home on January 24.
He was charged the same day with two counts of sending offensive messages and one count of issuing threats of serious harm or death.
Harper pleaded guilty to all charges.
A recent report from Tell MAMA, a UK-based anti-hate crime organization, has revealed a 73% increase in Islamophobic attacks in 2024, marking the highest number of recorded cases in the organization's history.
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Director Iman Atta described the situation as the "most dangerous" period for Muslims in the country, citing anti-Muslim rhetoric in politics and the spread of far-right conspiracy theories as key contributors.
The report found 6,313 incidents of anti-Muslim hate crimes, with a significant rise in assaults, vandalism, and threats.
Atta warned that misinformation on platforms like Telegram has fueled real-world violence, including last year's Southport riots. She also recalled a foiled attack during Christmas, where law enforcement intervened after online threats against Muslims were discovered.
Source: Agencies
