A British grandfather who called two Muslim students wearing the hijab “cockroaches” has been ordered to do 100 hours of community service.
Stephen Scatcherd, 59, launched an anti-Muslim tirade at the girls for wearing the hijab, saying Muslims have invaded Britain “like cockroaches”.
At Exeter Magistrates’ Court last week, he admitted using threatening and abusive language and was ordered to do community work.
Scatcherd, of Liskeard in Cornwall, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated charge of harassment during the incident on May 28.
One of the young women he targeted was Exeter University student Kalsoom Naqvi, who had been staying in the city for three years and has since graduated.
The 21—year-old told the Express and Echo: “We were both in Islamic headdresses, I was wearing jeans, my friend was in cultural clothes.
“I felt confusion really. I don’t feel that any person, regardless of their faith or their race, should be targeted like that, for no reason whatsoever.
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“I was just walking down the street to Tesco, minding my own business, having a nice day with my friend, then out of the blue this happened.
“I felt lonely, because I just saw so many people looking around and not really intervening, or doing anything.
“I also wanted to raise awareness that incidents like this do happen, and they should not be downplayed, I want to encourage people to report them to the police.’
Scatcherd was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £170 in costs, although not to the students as it was difficult to quantify the harm.
