Britain First deputy Jayda Fransen hit with £2000 fine for abusing Brit Muslim mum in front of her kids while on ‘Christian Patrol’ in Luton

THE deputy leader of far-right group Britain First has been found guilty of religiously-aggravated harassment after hurling abuse at a Muslim woman wearing a hijab.

Jayda Fransen, 30, from London, was fined £1,0000 for shouting at Sumayyah Sharpe in front of her four young children during a "Christian patrol" of Bury Park in Luton in January this year.

Fransen admitted telling Ms Sharpe that Muslim men force women to cover up to avoid being raped "because they cannot control their sexual urges".

She added: "That's why they are coming into my country raping women across the continent."

Fransen denied the words were intended to be offensive. She was also fined £200 for wearing a 'political uniform' at the time.

District Judge Carolyn Mellanby fined her a total of almost £2,000 after adding £620 in costs and a £100 victim surcharge at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court.

Mellanby said she believed the group had gone to the area "looking for trouble" and that Ms Sharpe had been mistaken as an "easy target".

"I have no doubt the words used towards her (Ms Sharpe), in her expression, represented everything against her and what she believes in," she said.

"In other words, offensive, insulting, abusive and, in my judgement, intended to cause offence and alarm and distress to her religion."

The court heard how around 20 Britain First members took part in the event at Bury Park, distributing branded newspapers which had a front page reading "World War Three has begun - Islam against the world".

Ms Sharpe, who was shopping with her kids, refused a newspaper from the extremist group.

Giving evidence on Wednesday, she said at this point that Fransen crossed the road and confronted her.

Ms Sharpe told the court: "She came across, shouting at me, saying 'Why are you covered?', and she said that quite a few times. I told her it was my choice that I cover.

"I then turned to the camera and I said, 'Film me, I'm British, I'm a British Muslim. It's my choice to wear this clothing and it's my right'."

She added: "I called her a slapper, I admit, and I told her to piss off because I was so angry at that point that she had done that in front of my children."

In video footage shown in court, Fransen was seen brandishing a white cross as she told Ms Sharpe that Muslim men made women cover themselves so that they were not raped.

Following the incident, Ms Sharpe said she had to go home and explain the meaning of the word rape to her young children.

She also told the court her four-year-old son was now scared to leave the house in case they ran into the group.

After the verdict was read, a Britain First supporter was arrested on suspicion of common assault allegedly attacking a journalist.

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