‘Welsh’ Defence League protest in Wrexham, November 2009

A man was abusive and threatening to two British Muslims outside Wrexham’s new mosque and threatened to burn it down. David Jared Evans, 36, sent texts to people suggesting a visit to the mosque in the former Miner’s Institute and a demonstration and said flame throwers made “good legal weapons”.

Evans received a suspended sentence after he admitted using threatening, abusive and insulting language and behaviour towards Abdulla Anwar which was racially and religiously aggravated. He had a similar previous conviction in 2006 after he abused a black woman.

The judge said Mr Anwar and a colleague had approached Evans outside the mosque and offered him help. “For that, they were subjected to a torrent of disgraceful abuse,” the judge said. The comments were religiously and racially aggravated, persistent and escalated to threats of violence.

A prison sentence was inevitable but the judge took into account Evans had already served the equivalent of a six month sentence on remand. He had pleaded guilty and rather than sending him back into custody for what could only be a matter of weeks he believed it would be better to tackle his “intransigent attitudes”.

Evans, of High Street, Rhos, received a 36 week prison sentence, suspended for a year. He must carry out 200 hours unpaid work and attend an offending behaviour programme run by the probation service specifically to address his racially motivated behaviour.

Evans was also made subject of a two month 7pm-7am curfew at weekends and Judge Parry told him to pay £500 towards prosecution costs and £150 compensation to Mr Anwar. A restraining order was made which bans him from going to the mosque or approaching Mr Anwar.

The Leader, 6 December 2010

The report refers to text messages found on Evans’s mobile phone in which he asked one contact if he was “up for a visit to the mosque tonight” and suggested the use of a flame thrower. An earlier report indicated that the text messages were sent to English Defence League supporters.

A year ago the EDL held a protest in Wrexham at the site of the proposed new mosque in the name of its sister organisation the Welsh Defence League, though most of the participants were reportedly of English origin.

An undercover investigation by BBC Wales into a group campaigning against Muslim extremists has found links with neo-Nazi supporters.

Secret footage in Monday’s Week In Week Out programme also exposes criminal activity amongst some supporters of the Welsh Defence League (WDL). Publicly, the WDL says it is a non-racist organisation. A judge who has examined the evidence in the programme said some were acting to “inflame racial hatred”.

The WDL has been aligned to the English Defence League. It was set up last year by an ex-soccer hooligan and author Jeff Marsh in response to Muslim extremists abusing troops returning from Afghanistan. It has attracted hundreds of followers and held demonstrations in Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham.

Posing as a new member of the group, an undercover journalist accompanied a number of Welsh supporters to a protest. Some were caught on camera and online, making racist comments about Muslims. Two admitted involvement in racist violence at demonstrations organised by the defence leagues in other parts of the country. One invited other WDL followers to join him in burning a Koran and joked online about how best to kill black people. Another talks about driving Muslims out of the south Wales valleys.

Examining the evidence in the special programme, Judge Mark Powell QC said: “It’s mindless, its racist, the purpose of what they are doing is to inflame racial hatred…I think from what you have shown me it is criminal behaviour and no doubt something that the police would want to look at.”

Shadow Welsh Secretary Peter Hain, who has campaigned for years against racist groups, said: “I think every mainstream politician in Wales, wherever they are based, should make it a priority to talk to young people to explain the WDL is in a long line that goes back through the Nazis.

“And I don’t say that lightly because, that is the exact political situation in which Hitler was able to come into power because main stream politicians did not deal with the grievances in Germany. Now I’m not suggesting the WDL is anything like as powerful as Hitler’s Nazi party became, the WDL is a tiny marginalised party, but once you allow these groups to gain credibility that’s where you could end up.”

Det Ch Supt Adrian Tudway, the national co-ordinator for domestic extremism, advises local forces on the threat posed by the various defence leagues. “I think it’s a very significant threat. It’s one I know the police service are taking very seriously, together with the Home Office and local authorities,” he said.

“Unmasked: Welsh Defence League” is on BBC One Wales at 2030 GMT on Monday 6 December.

BBC News, 6 December 2010

A man was held in custody yesterday afternoon on a charge of racially aggravated public order. The court appearance followed an incident at the new Wrexham Muslim Association mosque.

Father-of-four David Jared Evans, 36, was arrested over alleged racist comments and threats made to two people who were leaving the mosque at the former Miners’ Institute in Grosvenor Road, Wrexham, on Monday evening.

Evans, of High Street, Rhos, is charged with using threatening, abusive and insulting language and behaviour towards Abdulla Anwar which were racially aggravated.

Robert Blakemore, prosecuting, outlined the allegations at Flintshire Magistrates’ Court and said the case should be dealt with in the crown court. Magistrates agreed and Evans said in any event he wished to elect crown court trial.

The court heard that social networking sites were advertising a demonstration on Saturday against the use of the former Miners’ Institute as a mosque.

Mr Blakemore said after reading texts on Evans’ mobile phone between himself and the English Defence League he would apply for a remand in custody.

The Mold-based magistrates remanded Evans in custody for a week pending committal proceedings to the crown court.

The Leader, 17 September 2010