A man who attached bacon to the handles of a mosque’s main door before throwing the meat inside has been jailed for ten months.
Wayne Stilwel, 25, was caught on CCTV throwing the bacon into Edinburgh’s Central Mosque on January 31, 2013. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard Islam prohibits its followers from eating pork and Stilwel’s actions offended people at the mosque.
Stilwel pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace before Sheriff Gordon Liddle at a hearing last month. On Tuesday, the sheriff said his actions had been “grossly offensive” and he had no option but to jail him.
At the earlier hearing, procurator fiscal Ian Wallace said police were called to the mosque after the incident and later traced Stilwel and arrested him. He said Stilwel told police he was aware he had caused offence. Mr Wallace added: “He said he was aware of the significance of the bacon.”
On Tuesday, defence solicitor Matthew Nicholson told the court his client was sorry for his crime and accepted he would be going to prison. Mr Nicholson added: “He fully realises that he will receive a custodial sentence.”