Jail For Dorset Islamic Centre Vandals

Four men have today been sentenced to four months in jail at Bournemouth Crown Court after having pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated criminal damage.

They were also ordered to pay £150 compensation each to Dorset Islamic Centre.

Richard Oakley, District Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in Wessex said:

“Robert Mullins, Trevor Mullins and Jeremy Rochester and Michael Manyweathers went to Dorset Islamic Centre on 23 May 2013 with the intention of causing damage to the property. 

"This crime was religiously aggravated as the four defendants clearly targeted the Mosque.

“An off-duty police officer who was walking along Ashley Road in Poole heard the sound of smashing glass coming from the windows of the Centre and walked to the back of the building to see what was happening. Three of the defendants were present; one was carrying a piece of wood approximately three feet long. 

"The men saw him and one shouted at him 'We are English mate, who do you think you are'. 

"After a short confrontation, the males walked to a stationary car and were driven off by the defendant Robert Mullins

“Not long before the incident, the defendants were seen drinking at the Grasshopper Public House in Poole, where a man matching the description of Trevor Mullins expressed anger concerning the murder of Lee Rigby, which had occurred the day before in Woolwich. 

"The four men then drove to the mosque with the specific intention of causing damage.  CCTV evidence showed Trevor Mullins, Jeremy Rochester and Michael Manyweathers causing criminal damage to windows at the mosque. They pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.”

“We hope that with this prosecution the public will be reassured that the CPS takes very seriously any religiously and racially motivated attack and will robustly prosecute those cases when there is sufficient evidence and is in the public interest to do so.”