A woman convicted of a racially aggravated assault after hurling antisemitic abuse at Jewish children and parents outside a school in north London has avoided immediate prison, receiving a 12-month suspended sentence.
Syeda Khatun, 39, was convicted on July 3 after shouting antisemitic insults at children and at a mother carrying her baby before assaulting a father who tried to intervene.
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The incident took place on May 10, when Khatun approached a group of children waiting outside the gates of a Jewish secondary school after returning from a school trip.
The children heard her verbally abusing a mother who was holding her baby. When Khatun noticed the pupils, she turned toward them and raised her arms in what was described as a threatening manner.
One child’s father confronted Khatun and asked why she was targeting children. She then struck him in the face and pulled his beard while continuing to shout antisemitic abuse.
A court found Khatun guilty of racially aggravated assault and sentenced her to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years.
Prosecutors said the case was supported by multiple eyewitnesses and security-camera footage, which they said helped establish that the victims had been targeted because they were Jewish.
“This was a shocking attack. Violence motivated by antisemitic hatred is abhorrent, and no one should fear going about their daily lives because of their race, religion or identity,” senior prosecutor Raghvesh Singh said.
He described the sentence as significant and added: “I hope this outcome reassures the public, particularly the Jewish community, and makes clear that hate crime will be prosecuted robustly and offenders brought to justice.”
Local police also condemned the attack.
“This was an abhorrent assault against young people from our Jewish community,” police said. “We take incidents of this nature extremely seriously.”
Police said they understood that anxiety remained high among Jewish communities in London and that enhanced policing measures were continuing in vulnerable areas.
“Our officers continue to focus resources on areas of vulnerability to protect communities, disrupt offenders and tackle crime,” the force said.