This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42920929
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Finsbury Park attacker Darren Osborne jailed for minimum of 43 years | Finsbury Park attacker Darren Osborne jailed for minimum of 43 years |
(35 minutes later) | |
A man who drove a van into a crowd of Muslims near a north London mosque has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 43 years behind bars. | A man who drove a van into a crowd of Muslims near a north London mosque has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 43 years behind bars. |
Darren Osborne, 48, was found guilty of murdering Makram Ali, 51, after deliberately ploughing into a crowd of people in Finsbury Park in June. | |
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Osborne, from Cardiff, had planned "a suicide mission" and expected to be shot dead. | Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said Osborne, from Cardiff, had planned "a suicide mission" and expected to be shot dead. |
"This was a terrorist attack - you intended to kill," the judge told him. | "This was a terrorist attack - you intended to kill," the judge told him. |
Osborne, who had been found guilty of murder and attempted murder, said "God bless you all, thank you", as he was led away from court. | Osborne, who had been found guilty of murder and attempted murder, said "God bless you all, thank you", as he was led away from court. |
'Malevolent hatred' | 'Malevolent hatred' |
The father-of-four mowed down worshippers in Finsbury Park shortly after 12.15am on 19 June last year, killing Mr Ali and injuring nine others. | |
The jury took an hour to return the verdict at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday after a nine-day trial. | |
Justice Cheema-Grubb told Osborne the jury in his trial had seen though his "pathetic last-ditch attempt to deceive them". | Justice Cheema-Grubb told Osborne the jury in his trial had seen though his "pathetic last-ditch attempt to deceive them". |
She said he was "rapidly radicalised over the internet by those determined to spread hatred of Muslims". | She said he was "rapidly radicalised over the internet by those determined to spread hatred of Muslims". |
"Your use of Twitter exposed you to racists and anti-Islamic ideology," she added. | "Your use of Twitter exposed you to racists and anti-Islamic ideology," she added. |
"In short, you allowed your mind to be poisoned by those who claimed to be leaders." | |
Before sentencing, the court heard a statement from Razina Akhtar, the daughter of Mr Ali, who said she had suffered "recurring nightmares" since the death of her father. | Before sentencing, the court heard a statement from Razina Akhtar, the daughter of Mr Ali, who said she had suffered "recurring nightmares" since the death of her father. |
"The incident was near to our house and I walk past it most days. It keeps me awake at night thinking about the attack." | "The incident was near to our house and I walk past it most days. It keeps me awake at night thinking about the attack." |
She said her mother, Mr Ali's widow, was now scared to go outside by herself for fear of being attacked. | She said her mother, Mr Ali's widow, was now scared to go outside by herself for fear of being attacked. |
"My father was the most sincere and warmest person I know. He was full of jokes and laughter, and full of love for his family and grandchildren. | "My father was the most sincere and warmest person I know. He was full of jokes and laughter, and full of love for his family and grandchildren. |
"His life was taken in a cruel way by a narrow-minded, heartless being," the statement added. | "His life was taken in a cruel way by a narrow-minded, heartless being," the statement added. |
Other witness suffered feelings of anxiety, flashbacks, fear of going out and loss of confidence, prosecutors said. | Other witness suffered feelings of anxiety, flashbacks, fear of going out and loss of confidence, prosecutors said. |
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb also heard a list of Osborne's previous convictions - including a string of violent offences - spanning more than 30 years. | |
Osborne had appeared before the courts on 33 occasions for 102 offences, she was told. | |
The judge said Osborne's previous convictions showed he was a "belligerent and violent character". | |
She said Mr Ali died immediately after being struck by the van. He was found with tyre marks on his torso, she added. | |
'Obsessed' with Muslims | |
The trial heard the victims had been outside the Muslim Welfare House, in Finsbury Park, when the area had been busy with worshippers attending Ramadan prayers. | |
Mr Ali had collapsed at the roadside in the minutes before the attack. | |
Police later found a letter in the van written by Osborne, referring to Muslim people as "rapists" and "feral". | |
He also wrote that Muslim men were "preying on our children". | |
Osborne, the trial heard, had became "obsessed" with Muslims in the weeks leading up to the attack, having watched the BBC drama Three Girls, about the Rochdale grooming scandal. |