Man sentenced for Islamophobic tirade at women on Romford High Street

A man who shouted a tirade of Islamophobic abuse at a group of women on Romford High Street has been sentenced.

Terry Eury, 56, pleaded guilty to two religiously aggravated public order offences at Thames Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced today (21 May 2024) to 12 weeks' imprisonment, suspended for 12 months.

He was also ordered to undertake a three month alcohol treatment programme and must complete 35 rehabilitation activity days as part of his Community Order. 

The court also confirmed that Eury's sentence was increased from a Community Order to a Suspended Sentence Order to reflect the seriousness of the hate crime he committed. 

Eury targeted the victims in this case as they returned from a pro-Palestine protest in April, shouting a torrent of Islamophobic language that lasted about two minutes, as he pursued them through the High Street.

The frightening encounter was video recorded by a member of the public on a mobile phone, which captured the full extent of Eury’s criminal behaviour in the middle of the busy High Street.

Varinder Hayre, District Crown Prosecutor and CPS London North Hate Crime Lead, said: “Terry Eury’s extreme display of intolerance towards the victims in this case was a hate crime, and his appalling behaviour has understandably had a detrimental and lasting impact on the victims.

“At the sentence hearing today, we used a Community Impact Statement from Tell MAMA, an independent victim support service, to further demonstrate the wider impact this display of hatred can have on the local community, causing trauma and fear across society.

“The CPS has delivered swift justice for the victims, and indeed for the local community of Romford, in this case.

“We won’t hesitate to ensure that hate crimes, against any religion or other protected characteristic, are prosecuted.”