A drunken football fan was condemned by a
judge today after subjecting two Muslim sisters
to vile racist abuse on a train.
Andrew Thompson, a worker with a travelling
circus, insisted sisters Kalema and Fatema
Rahman gave up their seats to him because he
was 'an Englishman'.
Protective passengers "circled their wagons"
around them and forced Thompson off at the
next stop.
Men and women 'of all ages' rounded on the
26-year-old in an act which prompted Kalema -
known as Ruhi - to later thank her "Geordie
Angels" for stepping in.
Thompson was given an 18-week jail term,
suspended for 12 months, when he appeared at
Newcastle magistrates court.
Deputy District Judge Philip Houlden told him:
"This was an unpleasant and upsetting incident
for these two young ladies and for the general
public who responded as they did.
"This happened in a confined space on the Metro
where the people on the receiving end couldn't
really escape from you.
''It occurred on the public transport system
which should be a safe place for people to
travel.
"It happened while you were in drink, which is no
excuse, in fact in my view it makes it worse."
He added: "This was not your finest hour."
As well as the suspended jail term, Thompson
was also ordered to pay each of the Rahman
sisters £200 compensation for their "distress,
upset and harm" plus a total of £345 court
costs.
Ruhi's account of the incident was shared
around the world on social media, coming on
November 21 , six days after the terrorist
atrocities in Paris.
Kalema, 23, and Fatema, 36, were both wearing
hijabs, which Thompson 'zoned in on' as he
boarded the train, the court heard.
Fiona Varley, prosecuting, said: "The offence
occurred on the metro in Newcastle. Two British
Muslims, Kalema and Fatema Rahman, both
wearing hijabs, were travelling from Central
Station, Newcastle, to the coast when Mr
Thompson boarded the train and went into the
same carriage.
"The train was busy and there were no seats so
Mr Thompson approached the two sisters and
said to them 'get the f*** off the train, I want to
sit down, I am English, get out of your seat I am
an Englishman.'
"Other passengers were shocked and intervened,
they demanded he get off the train. He got off
and the sisters remained on the train. The other
passengers made sure they were all right.
"Thompson was arrested on December 1 and
said he had been watching a Newcastle United
match and was very drunk and couldn't
remember specific allegations."
In a victim personal statement read to the court,
Fatema said: "The incident left me feeling
paranoid and wondering "is someone gong to
approach me?' There are bad people about and
it made me so nervous we took a taxi back
home.
"I am now more hesitant about going out by
myself at night and it has left me feeling more
aware of what is happening around me. The
support of the other passengers has left me
realising there are more good people than bad
people, they gave me hope for the future."
Ruhi added: "I worry if I am out alone. I am
happy about the support we got on the day but I
am worried if this happened again, I may be too
afraid to speak out."
Mark Harrison, defending, said the behaviour of
other passengers was the only positive from the
entire incident.
He added: "He was reproached by males and
females alike, he was surrounded, it was as if
the wagons were circling and he was ejected at
the next platform.
"He did not protest or gesticulate or wave his
arms around. The comments he made was the
beginning, middle and end of the incident."
When Ruhi took to Facebook and provoked a
media storm around the incident, Thompson
realised he was responsible, contacted his
lawyer and gave himself up to the police days
later.
Mr Harrison added: "This was down to Mr
Thompson alone. He ordinarily works within the
circus industry with a travelling circus, handing
out fliers and putting up bill posters and that is
a multi cultural environment.
"These stupid, crass and frankly unforgivable
comments are not representative of any wider
views that he holds."
Thompson, of Tynemouth, North Tyneside,
admitted causing racially or religiously
aggravated fear of violence.
Superintendent Bruce Storey said after the
hearing: "I'd like to thank the public for their
help with this investigation.
"Those people on the Metro that day showed
courage and a real community spirit with their
actions and came to the help of someone who
was the victim of a hate crime and who was
being targeted because of who she is.
"Northumbria Police take hate crimes and
incidents of this nature very seriously. We
understand, and do not underestimate, the
impact that a hate crime can have on an
individual, and a community.
"This type of behaviour is completely
unacceptable and we will always look to take
action against anyone who commits hate
crimes."
Andrew Thompson, who racially abused two
Muslim sisters before he was thrown off the
train by outraged passengers
Kalema Rahman, known as Ruhi
Mugshot: Andrew Thom
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