Man Receives Suspended Sentence for Releasing Rats Outside Sheffield Mosque

Man Receives Suspended Sentence for Releasing Rats Outside Sheffield Mosque
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A 66-year-old man, Edmund Fowler from Sheffield, has been given an 18-week suspended prison sentence after admitting to racially aggravated harassment involving the release of rats outside Sheffield Grand Mosque, Iqna news agency reported. The offences occurred between May and June and were captured on CCTV and mobile phone footage.

Fowler was seen repeatedly releasing live rodents near the mosque and shouting racist slurs at worshippers entering the building. The court described his actions as deliberate and distressing, causing widespread upset and fear within the local Muslim community.

The mosque’s manager stated in a victim impact statement that the harassment had created fear among attendees, many of whom are now too scared to visit the mosque. Fowler was also banned from entering any mosque or specific areas in Sheffield for 18 months.

Chair of the bench Suzanne Irish-Deverill condemned Fowler’s behaviour as a hate crime, highlighting the premeditated nature of the attacks and the significant distress caused.

Iman Atta, director of the anti-hate organization Tell Mama, called the incident deeply troubling and emphasized the dehumanizing impact of targeting a mosque in this way. Tell Mama reported a rise in anti-Muslim incidents, with at least 20 Islamic sites in the UK targeted over the past six months.