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A man has been jailed for over a year after launching an antisemitic attack against a Jewish man earlier this year.
Shafiq Rahman, 48, of Slough, was cycling past Elliman Avenue in the town on Monday, April 20, when he spotted a Jewish man wearing a traditional kippah head covering while working on a property.
Rahman began shouting antisemitic abuse at the man and then approached him, made threats and attempted to snatch his phone.
Two members of the public tried to intervene before being verbally abused themselves. Police were called and an investigation was launched.
Footage of the incident caused an uproar after it was widely shared across social media.
Several members of the public called police to provide information after a clip of the incident was uploaded online, in addition to a police appeal for information.
The tip-offs led police to identify the suspect as Rahman and officers arrested him on Thursday, April 23.
He was charged the next day, and pleaded guilty to one count of racially/religiously aggravated common assault, one count of racially/religiously aggravated fear/provocation of violence by words, and one count of criminal damage.
In relation to the serious injuries caused to a man in Thatcham, Rahman was charged with being in charge of a dog dangerously out of control causing injury.
On Friday, July 10, Rahman appeared at Reading Crown Court where he was sentenced to a total of 16 months in prison. The sentence includes the hate crime as well as a separate incident in June 2025 in which Rahman was walking a dog which caused serious injury to a man in Thatcham.
Commander for Berkshire East, Chief Superintendent Stuart Bosley, said: “This was a shocking and targeted antisemitic attack on a man simply going about his work.
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"We understand that crimes of this nature cause distress and fear, having a profound impact not only on the victim, but on the wider community.
"Everyone should feel safe to go about their lives without fear of harassment or abuse, and I sincerely hope that this case emphasises how seriously Thames Valley Police take antisemitic hate crime.
“I want to be absolutely clear that there is no place for antisemitism in Slough or in wider society. We remain committed to tackling hate crime, supporting victims and working with our communities to ensure they are safe and protected.”
Detective Inspector Terry Dixon, of Berkshire East’s Priority Crime Team, who led the investigation, added: "Rahman was deliberately obstructive when interviewed by police, but had no choice but to plead guilty in court due to the weight of evidence against him.”
A spokesperson for Shomrim, a non-profit voluntary organisation which works with police to keep Jewish communities safe, said: "This was a deeply disturbing antisemitic attack on a member of the Jewish community who was simply going about his daily work.
"We welcome the swift and professional response from Thames Valley Police, which demonstrates that hate crime will not be tolerated and that offenders will be brought to justice."