Man Sentenced Over Religious Hate Calls to Finsbury Park Mosque
A 47-year-old man has been handed a suspended jail term after bombarding Finsbury Park Mosque with threatening and religiously motivated phone calls.
Lee Harper’s Hate-Fuelled Rant Lands Him in Court
Lee Harper, from Hornsey, appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 10. He was sentenced to 10 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. The court heard Harper made multiple violent and threatening calls to the mosque on January 21. These were classified as religious hate crimes.
Following a tip-off from a mosque member, the Metropolitan Police’s hate crime unit traced the calls back to Harper in Haringey. He was arrested at home on January 24 and charged the same day with:
- Two counts of sending offensive and indecent messages
- One count of sending threatening communications with intent to cause death or serious harm
Harper pleaded guilty to all charges. Besides the suspended prison term, he was slapped with a five-year restraining order barring contact with Finsbury Park Mosque and must complete 200 hours of unpaid work.
Met Police Slams Hate Crime, Urges Reporting
“This investigation shows our relentless commitment to protecting London communities from religious hate crimes,” said Detective Superintendent Marco Bardetti, who led the probe. “Lee Harper’s actions were totally unacceptable. Thanks to Finsbury Park Mosque for trusting the Met and CPS to act swiftly.”
Police are urging the public to report any hate crimes — verbal, physical, or online. Victims and witnesses should call 101 or report online via the Metropolitan Police website. For emergencies, dial 999 immediately.
