Barrister Who Sued after Colleague Asked Him to Stop Farting Loses Case

THE GUARDIAN: Lawyer said flatulence was caused by heart medication and argued the request violated his dignity

A senior barrister who sued the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after a colleague asked him to stop breaking wind in the room they worked in together has lost his case.

Tarique Mohammed sued for harassment and told an employment tribunal that his repetitive flatulence was caused by medication he was on for a heart condition.

He said the comment from his colleague Paul McGorry was “embarrassing” and violated his dignity – but the panel found it was a reasonable request to have asked him to stop.

The prosecutor, who suffered a heart attack in 2014, also alleged he was discriminated against because of his disabilities and made a number of further allegations against his co-workers and bosses.

He claimed they threw away his water bottles, asked him to work one day a week 60 miles away and failed to pay for his barrister’s practising certificate while he was on sick leave. » | Tom Ambrose | Tuesday, December 21, 2021

White Christian Britons Being Unfairly Targeted for Hate Crimes by CPS, Civitas Claims
THE TELEGRAPH: White Christian Britons are being unfairly targeted compared with minority groups for committing hate crimes, a new report says.

Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, who were prosecuted and then cleared last December of a religiously aggravated hate crime after a strongly worded discussion with a Muslim guest at their hotel about the relative merits of their respective religions. Photo: The Telegraph
The study from think-tank Civitas argues that new hate crime legislation is restricting freedom of speech, and has effectively introduced a new blasphemy law into Britain by the back door.

A foreword attached to the main report, “A New Inquisition: religious persecution in Britain today”, argues that prosecutors and police are unfairly singling out alleged crimes by white Christians, while ignoring other similar offences by minority groups.

It says: “Some police forces and the CPS [Crown Prosecution Service] seem to be interpreting statutes in favour of ethnic and religious minorities and in a spirit hostile to members of the majority population, defined as ‘White’ or ‘Christian’.”

Report authors said it is “legitimate to ask” whether these agendas are being driven by “sectarian groups” within either police forces or inside the CPS.

It claims “there is evidence of biased application of the law”, citing the case of a Muslim man who sprayed the words “Islam will dominate the world – Osama is on his way” and “Kill Gordon Brown” on a war memorial in Burton-Upon-Trent.

He was prosecuted for criminal damage – “that is neither a racially nor a religiously aggravated offence”.

The CPS had argued that “the defacing the memorial did not attach to any particular racial or religious group” despite the fact that the monument was “a Christian and British memorial, carrying Christian and British symbols.

"People who read the story found themselves thinking that, if a non-Muslim had defaced a Muslim building the system would have thrown the book at him".

This compared with a Christian couple in Liverpool, Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang, who were prosecuted and then cleared last December of a religiously aggravated hate crime after a strongly worded discussion with a Muslim guest at their hotel about the relative merits of their respective religions. >>> Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor | Monday, July 19, 2010

Muslim Daubs War Memorial But Walks Away from Court Virtually Scot-free
MAIL ONLINE: A Muslim protester who daubed a war memorial with graffiti glorifying Osama Bin Laden and proclaiming 'Islam will dominate the world' walked free from court after prosecutors ruled his actions were not motivated by religion.

Tohseef Shah, 21, could have faced a tougher sentence if the court had accepted that the insults - which included a threat to kill the Prime Minister - were inspired by religious hatred.

But - citing a loophole in the law - the Crown Prosecution Service chose not to charge him with that offence and he escaped with only a two-year conditional discharge and an order to pay the council £500 compensation after admitting causing criminal damage.

Yesterday the decision was attacked by politicians and veterans who were shocked by the desecration of the memorial in Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire.

Conservative MP Patrick Mercer, chairman of the Parliamentary Counter Terrorism sub-committee, said: 'This is an outrage against our war dead.'

Shah sprayed the words 'Islam will dominate the world - Osama 
is on his way' and 'Kill Gordon Brown' on the plinth of the memorial in December. Muslim Daubs War Memorial with 'Islam Will Dominate the World' - But Walks Free After CPS Says He Was NOT Racially Motivated >>> James Tozer | Friday, April 30, 2010

Jordan to Prosecute Geert Wilders over Fitna
Photo of Geert Wilders courtesy of Google Images
RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE: The Jordanian justice authorities are preparing a criminal case against right-wing Dutch MP Geert Wilders because of his anti-Islam film, Fitna. A Jordanian judge has ruled that there is a case to answer. A number of procedures will have to be followed before any indictment is issued and this is likely to take a considerable time.

The complaint has been brought by organisations which believe the film constitutes an incitement to hatred of Muslims. They have already launched a campaign to boycott Dutch products, blaming the government in The Hague for not prosecuting Mr Wilders. Jordan to Prosecute Dutch MP over Anti-Islam Film >>> By Mike Wilcox | July 1, 2008

THE STRAITS TIMES:
Jordan Charges Dutch MP over 'Anti-Islam' Film >>> | July 1, 2008

SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE:
Meanwhile, the Dutch Back Wilders >>> | July 1, 2008

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER:
Geert Wilders Plans ‘Fitna’ Sequel >>> By Ab Zagt | July 1, 2008

NIS NEWS BULLETIN:
Wilders Weighs Fitna Sequel: "I do not have to keep to the laws of banana republics like Jordan and Saudi Arabia," Wilders explained. The Dutch OM's decision not to prosecute him "should be presented in golden gift-wrapping to those lunatics in Amman" >>> | July 2008

REUTERS:
Jordan Charges Dutch Politician with Blasphemy >>> | July 1, 2008

RADIO NETHERLANDS WORLDWIDE:
Jordanian Ambassador Not to Be Summoned >>> | July 2, 2008

DUTCHNEWS.NL:
Verhagen Picks Diplomacy over Wilders >>> | July 2, 2008

The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Dust Jacket Hardcover, direct from the publishers (US) >>>
The Dawning of a New Dark Age – Paperback, direct from the publishers (US) >>>

West Midlands Police and Crown Prosecution Services Rebuffed by Ofcom over Dispatches Documentary
BBC: Media regulator Ofcom has rejected police claims that a Channel 4 programme was distorted.

The programme, Dispatches, tackled claims of Islamic extremism and featured preachers at various mosques.

West Midlands Police and the Crown Prosecution Service said the programme was heavily edited and distorted what the preachers were saying.

But Ofcom said it found no evidence the broadcast, Undercover Mosque, had misled its audience.

In a statement it said the one-hour documentary shown in January, was a legitimate investigation, uncovering matters of important public interest. Mosque programme claims rejected (more)

WATCH TELEGRAPH TV:
Video on ‘Undercover Mosque’

WATCH DOCUMENTARY HERE:
Dispatches: Undercover Mosque

Mark Alexander