Man jailed for hate crime after shouting ‘heil Hitler’ at Jewish family in Stamford Hill

A man who shouted ‘1, 2, 3 heil Hitler’ and ‘go have a sausage sandwich’ at a Jewish family has been jailed for 12 weeks for committing hate crimes.

David Aherne, 54, of Argyle Road, Tottenham, shouted the racist remarks at a Jewish couple and their three children as he rode through Stamford Hill on the 149 bus on July 10.

According to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) the victim tried to prevent Aherne from getting off the bus as they waited for police to arrive, only for him to tell them he would pull down his trousers in front of their kids.

Aherne pleaded guilty to causing racially and religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress at Wood Green Crown Court on August 13.

He was sentenced to 12 weeks in custody yesterday, with the judge citing the racist element as an aggravating feature.

Prosecutor Elaine Cousins, from the CPS, said: "It is hard to believe that crimes like this are still being committed. Unfortunately for the victim and his family, the flagrant disregard and respect for other races and religions shown was exposed in the most offensive of displays.

"This was a cruel verbal attack on people simply going about their business. The family were subjected to extremely racist and offensive language during the tirade.

"The incident was acutely distressing for the family and the wider Jewish community, some of whom were present. Anti-Semitism has no place in our society and the CPS will prosecute those who carry out hate crimes where there is the evidence to do so."