A former nurse has avoided jail after she assaulted a white Muslim man she mistook for a “racist” at a pro-asylum seeker protest.
Caroline Leneghan engaged in an argument with Dylan Fontaine, smashing his phone on the ground, calling him a “racist” and a “fascist”, inciting others to “swarm” around him.
However, Fontaine is a Muslim convert and was at the demonstration in Bournemouth supporting asylum seekers on August 7 last year.
Leneghan denied charges of assault and criminal damage but was found guilty following a trial.
Poole Magistrates Court heard how Leneghan went to the Roundhouse Hotel, which is used to house asylum seekers, in Bournemouth on August 7 last year for a rally.
Leneghan attended as part of the “Dorset Palestine Solidarity Campaign” as she felt there was a “crossover” between the plight of those living in Gaza and asylum seekers in the UK.
The court heard that she took it upon herself “to decide who should or shouldn’t be there” and singled out Fontaine alongside his brother Steven, believing they were members of the far right, reports the Daily Mail.
Steven told the court: “She was proper frantic and going mad. She shouted ‘they’re racist’ and everyone turned around and just swarmed all around my brother. I said ‘what makes you think that?’ She was basically saying “you’re not Muslim, judging by what you’re wearing”.
In video footage shown to the court, Leneghan can be heard saying “He’s a fascist, you both are… Why don’t you go back over there?” while pointing to the other side of the road where there was a small group of what were believed to be anti-asylum seeker protesters.
Leneghan then grabbed his iPhone and threw it on the floor, smashing the device. She then tried to prevent Fontaine from picking it up and “lunged” at him several times before shouting: “He’s a racist, get him.”
The 44-year-old then refused to give police her details at the scene and tried to change her clothing to evade officers before eventually providing her information.
Ewa Russell, defending, said: “Without a shadow of a doubt the matter is aggravated by the circumstances and given her personal circumstances, it should not attract a custodial sentence. She said in hindsight she should have walked away and showed an element of regret.”
Sentencing, Judge Austin told Leneghan: “In my view this is a disgraceful incident caused against the backdrop of national distress.
“You were calling them fascists and racists just by looking at them and your actions left Mr Fontaine at risk of being attacked.
“I don’t accept that you are in any way remorseful and accept the seriousness of what you caused. I am of the view that this is a maximum sentence case which would be 26 weeks in prison.
“I now have to look at the fact that you are 20 weeks pregnant. I believe the risk of reoffending is low and there are risks for the pregnancy, especially around pre-eclampsia, and so I am going to suspend the sentence for the next two years.
“There is also a prohibited activity requirement meaning you cannot join any assembled gathering or demonstration for the next two years.”
She was ordered to pay Fontaine £300 compensation as well as £200 court costs and a victim surcharge of £154.
The decision has been slammed by chairman of Reform UK Bournemouth Martin Houlden who said: “The case of Caroline Leneghan is yet more evidence of two tier policing.
“Why has she been allowed to walk free after inciting actual physical violence toward a person at a demonstration when others such as mum Lucy Connolly, are serving jail sentences for nothing more than ill-advised Tweets? Why is the Judiciary protecting those on the left?”