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Three far right group members fined for “religiously offensive songs” on train

Three far right group members fined for “religiously offensive songs” on train

Categories: Latest News

Wednesday May 11 2016

South Yorkshire local paper, The Star, reports on court fines imposed on three members of the far right group South Yorkshire Casuals for “chanting religiously offensive songs” as they travelled on a train between Leeds and Barnsley en route to a Britain First protest.

Dale Kelk, 33, Julian Jones, 42 and Paul Collins, 35 were part of a larger group of men travelling from South Yorkshire to Dewsbury to join a Britain First protest in January. They were arrested by British Transport Police at Barnsley railway station on suspicion of “racially-aggravated public order offences.”

Barnsley Magistrates Court heard that the group were intercepted at Leeds railway station by officers who were concerned about their behaviour. The men were advised against attending the Britain First demonstration and issued with dispersal notices banning them from the area. The group were escorted back to South Yorkshire on a train by a number of British Transport Police officers.

The court heard the group began “chanting religiously offensive songs.” Officers told the men to desist but Kelk, Jones and Collins “persisted to display unacceptable behaviour”. The three men were later arrested as the train stopped at Barnsley station.

Kelk pleaded guilty to a public order offence and was fined £133 and ordered to pay £100 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Jones and Collins both pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated public order, with Jones fined £120 and Collins £173. Both men were ordered to pay £300 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Inspector Granville Sellers, from British Transport Police, said: “The train was extremely busy and the behaviour of Kelk, Collins and Jones was very uncomfortable and distressing for the other passengers on board who should not have to be subjected to such abhorrent conduct.”

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