Tormented residents have told how a nuisance neighbour who walked into a church “dressed like a terrorist” and plagued a neighbour with references to the murder of soldier Lee Rigby made their lives a misery.
Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard how Mohammed Dar, 52, of Ley Gardens, Alfreton, walked into the New Life Church, in Alfreton, on Remembrance Sunday masked in a headscarf and bandana enscribed with the words God is Great in Arabic.
Dar also stalked neighbour Louise Mountford and preyed on her by stating Lee Rigby, who was murdered by Islamic extremists, had deserved to die.
After Dar was jailed for 24 weeks, a Ley Gardens Residents Group spokesman said: “His behaviour, extremist views and actions have seriously affected our quality of life, frightened elderly residents and our children.
“Whilst the police have now acknowledged that Mr Dar is a cause for concern, it is the residents of Ley Gardens that have lived with his unpredictable behaviour.”
Dar shouted at the church congregation to “turn to Allah” and that “Islam sent boys aged ten to war”.
The defendant told the court he had gone to a Remembrance parade before going to the church and slow-clapped to show his respect to Muslims who “had been slaughtered like pigs in Iraq and Afghanistan”.
Witness Cheryl Taylor-Warriner stated: “Within minutes he shouted, ‘This is rubbish, you should be preaching Allah, turn to Islam. We send boys of ten to war.’
“He was dressed like a terrorist. I thought he may have a gun or a bomb or some sort of weapon. I was so frightened.”
Dar told the court he had struggled to come to grips with conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He claimed to respect British soldiers who died in World War Two but not those who had died in wars he did not believe in.
A police officer revealed how Dar had told him two weeks before the incident that he held suicide bombers in high regard.
However, Dar apologised for his behaviour at the church.
Following a trial, magistrates found him guilty of two counts of using threatening behaviour after the Remembrance day offences.
Dar was jointly sentenced in June after he was also found guilty of stalking neighbour Louise Mountford between September and November, 2013, after another trial.
He admitted to officers he made a terror-related comment about Lee Rigby during a mobile phone call as Ms Mountford walked by which he now regrets and has apologised for.
The defendant had also been accused of staring into Ms Mountford’s home and dressing up in outfits to taunt her and harassing Ms Mountford by making comments about the Twin Towers attack.
However, magistrates only found Dar guilty of stalking Ms Mountford on the basis of police spotting him staring into her home twice.
Dar was also convicted and jointly sentenced to 24 weeks’ imprisonment on June 20 for making a grossly offensive communication and for two counts of making a malicious comment.
Ley Gardens Residents group is campaigning for a change in the law so home owners who engage in persistent anti-social behaviour can be forced to sell their properties and leave neighbourhoods.