Community order and Curfew for hate preacher at Speakers Corner

Omar Mohamad, regular Speakers Corner extremist, has this week yet again escaped a custodial sentence but has this time been issued with a Community Order and placed under curfew. This was following the verdict reached at City Magistrates court on 1 September 2021 when he was found guilty of having used threatening, abusive and insulting words and behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm and distress, together with intent to cause fear of or provoke unlawful violence. This followed a tirade of homophobic hate given by Mohamad against a gay man at Speakers Corner. Mohamad called his victim “a filthy creature” during his tirade on the 6 October 2019. He ranted that his victim was “worse than a terrorist” due to his sexuality and accused him of “spreading AIDs to millions”.

Mohamad during the attack in 2019

The case has taken over two years to reach a final conclusion following a litany of delay by Mohamad, including failing to attend court hearings, sacking his own lawyer and demanding a last minute interpreter

The community order was issued with a ‘rehabilitation activity requirement’ and a curfew covering 6pm to 5am for six weeks. Mohamad will now be wearing an electronic tag to monitor his movements and ensure he remains at his home address and complies with his curfew. Mohamad was sentenced to a four week curfew, however, following a request from the CPS this was increased to six weeks due to the homophobic nature of the offence. Mohamad must also pay in total £860 to the victim and court.

This is the second time Mohamad has escaped a custodial sentence. In March 2018, he violently struck a police officer in the face with his walking stick, again whilst attending Speakers Corner. He was subsequently convicted for assault causing actual bodily harm against the police officer. The Judge stated to Mohamad after that case: “You’re a man of sixty-two and of good character. Given your poor health and your previous good character it will be a suspended sentence.” A 26 week suspended sentence was therefore issued.

For further information on both cases see here.