A woman who shouted, “kill all the Muslims,” called fellow passengers “terrorists”, and threatened a train manager received a prison sentence of over six months.
49-year-old Trisha Clifton pleaded guilty to a religiously aggravated offence at Reading Magistrates’ Court on April 4.
The British Transport Police (BTP) investigated the anti-Muslim and Islamophobic hate crime after Clifton boarded a train to Reading on April 1.
When asked to produce their ticket, the court heard how Clifton began to remove articles of clothing, placing them next to two passengers who she then abused, calling them “terrorists”.
As the train manager challenged them, Clifton made threats of violence, saying, “don’t make me get my two handguns out.”
Trisha Clifton continued their tirade of abuse, shouting, “kill all the Muslims” as they gestured in motions like she was handling a gun.
BTP officers were then waiting for Clifton at Reading station and searched her under the Firearms Act, which unearthed no weapons, before being arrested and held in custody.
BTP Sergeant James Smith said: “Clifton’s disgusting and unprovoked actions on the train were completely unacceptable.
“We take incidents of hate crime extremely seriously. Behaviour where someone is targeted because of who they are or made to feel uncomfortable will not be tolerated anywhere on the rail network.
“I am thankful to the courts for the sentenced imposed and hope it gives her time to reflect on her behaviour.”
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