Muslim convert who prayed with London Bridge terrorist jailed over fake Spanish ID after refusing to stand for judge
A MUSLIM convert who prayed with one of the London Bridge terrorists has been caged for six months for possessing a bogus Spanish ID.
Ricardo McFarlane was seen with depraved Khuram Butt in the Channel Four documentary ‘Jihadi Next Door’, which got 1.2million viewers when it aired in January last year.
McFarlane, a known associate of convicted hate preacher Anjem Choudary, was arrested and quizzed about the atrocity by anti-terror cops following a raid in east London days later.
He stood for the entire hearing today after he had previously refused to leave his seat when the when the judge came into the room.
McFarlane was a known associate of ALM, otherwise known as Muslims Against Crusades.
He was accused of breaching an ASBO prohibiting him from approaching members of the public “in order to promote Sharia Law” on 25 March last year.
McFarlane was said to have been one of a group of up to 20 men who allegedly set up a stall outside Topshop in Oxford Street calling for strict Islamic laws to be imposed across the UK.
But the charge was dismissed today after the key witness in the case against him, a Muslim security guard from Topshop, called prosecutors to inform them he had flown to Morocco on a “family emergency”.
The security guard did not identify McFarlane, but gave a description that prosecutors claimed matched what McFarlane was wearing in CCTV footage from the scene.
Southwark Crown Court was also told McFarlane was arrested after a bogus Spanish ID card was found inside the boot of his blue Nissan Micra when it was seized following a routine stop by police last July.
Admitting possession of the false document, he claimed to have intended to destroy it once he noticed the card, bearing his photo, was in somebody else’s name but simply had not got around to doing it.
Roy Headlam, defending, told the court that despite the affiliation “there is no suggestion that he is engaged in terrorist activity” or intended to cross borders in such a capacity using the bogus card.
Judge Peter Testar remarked that “all of this is very odd” as he caged McFarlane for six months for possessing a false identity document.
On August 29, McFarlane told the court usher that he would not stand for “any man” when the judge entered the courtroom.
McFarlane’s lawyer Roy Hedlam said: “Because of his religious belief he believes there is only one person who he should bow to.'”
Judge Beddoe replied: “That is as may be, but this isn’t a court of religion, this is a secular court and it expects to be treated with respect.
“That isn’t in breach of any religious principles I’m aware of.”
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