21-year-old escapes jail after pulling off Muslim mother's headscarf

Damien French, 21, from Rhyl, north Wales, shouted obscenities in a racially aggravated assault on the 23-year-old woman.

The victim walked away but the incident was witnessed by two police community support officers who gave chase and detained French.

French, who faced one count of racially aggravated common assault, one count of racially or religiously aggravated harassment and one count of failing to surrender to custody, was today sentenced to 18 weeks in prison suspended for two years by Mr Recorder Robert Trevor-Jones at Mold Crown Court.

French, of no fixed abode, was found guilty of racially aggravated assault following a trial at the court in August.

Gareth Roberts, prosecuting, said the victim, Shahenna Hussain, had been pushing a baby buggy with a female friend when they were abused by French.

He said: "She then felt a violent grip to the top of her head and the clasps used to keep her hijab in place were stretched.

"She says she felt violated, angry and upset."

French has a string of previous convictions including one for animal cruelty when, in 2005, he picked up a live rabbit at the Welsh Mountain Zoo and fed it to an alligator.

Police today welcomed the sentence.

Superintendent Terry Kellaher of North Wales Police said: "The custodial sentence, albeit suspended, is a positive outcome. The court has acknowledged how distressful this incident was for the individual.

"The message is clear to people who want to violate individuals' rights - this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated and police will take a robust stance in supporting our communities."

French was due to be sentenced in September this year by Judge John Rogers QC.

At the hearing Judge Rogers said a custodial sentence was warranted but an earlier request for behavioural reports from Judge Trevor-Jones indicated he was minded to impose a non-custodial sentence.

Judge Rogers then adjourned the case to be heard back before Mr Trevor-Jones.

At the hearing in September the court was told by Brian Treadwell, defending, that French, who has learning difficulties, was an "easily-led young man".