Convicted murderer and ‘Islamist fanatic' gets thousands in legal aid to argue about his anxiety
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has hit out at the European Court of Human Rights
KILLER'S ANXIETY Convicted murderer and 'Islamist fanatic' gets thousands in legal aid to argue about his anxiety
A CONVICTED murderer has got thousands in legal aid to argue that separating him from other lags made him feel too anxious.
Islamic convert Denny De Silva, 32 — said to be an 'extremist enforcer' — had taxpayers fund his human rights challenge.
Advertisement
He has previously been found guilty of smuggling in phones to share IS material and there were complaints he was battering other inmates at HMP Full Sutton, East Yorks.
He was sent to a separation unit but in January went to the High Court to argue limiting access to the gym, library, and educational opportunities violated his right to a private life under the European Court of Human Rights.
He won the case — adding more to his legal aid bill.
De Silva had already run up costs of £42,000 for barristers and £24,000 for solicitors at his 2016 murder trial.
Advertisement
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'This shocking case shows how the ECHR is has become a charter for criminals.
"I couldn't care less if a dangerous Islamist fanatic has 'anxiety' from separation centres.
'Governors must be able to lock up radicalising prisoners in isolation without worrying about mad human rights laws.'
De Silva was jailed in 2016 for a minimum of 27 years for shooting dead a gangland rival.
Advertisement
He converted to Islam in prison but is said to intimidate and incite other Muslim prisoners.
The Ministry of Justice confirmed the £66,000 figure was correct but billing was not finalised.
Inside evil Southport killer's cushy jail life where he STILL gets Maltesers, crisps & other treats despite guard attack
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Evening Standard
15 minutes ago
- Evening Standard
Sarwar speaks of ‘guilt' of children having to experience attacks against him
'I think what gives me a bit more perspective is there were similar kinds of attacks, not identical, but similar kinds of attacks when I was growing up and my father was trying to be a politician, when he was trying to get elected as the country's first Muslim MP, and there was threats, there was abuse, there was violence at that time.
Telegraph
16 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Man convicted after burning Koran in public
A man who set fire to a copy of the Koran outside the Turkish Consulate has been convicted of a racially aggravated public order offence. Hamit Coskun shouted 'f--- Islam' and 'Islam is religion of terrorism' while holding the religious text above his head during a protest on Feb 13. The 50-year-old, who was violently attacked by a passerby during the demonstration in London, went on trial last week, accused of an offence under the Public Order Act. At Westminster magistrates' court on Monday, he was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence of using disorderly conduct, which was motivated 'in part by hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam'. Coskun's lawyers argued that his prosecution was an attempt by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to reintroduce and expand blasphemy laws in the UK, 17 years after they were abolished. The CPS said that Coskun was not being prosecuted for burning the book. They argued it was the combination of his derogatory remarks about Islam and the fact that it was done in public that made it an offence. The CPS originally charged Coskun, who is an atheist, with harassing the 'religious institution of Islam'. However, the charge was later amended after free speech campaigners took up his cause and argued he was essentially being accused of blasphemy. District Judge John McGarva said, 'there was a real problem with the original charge, which referred to Islam as if it was a person, when it is not'. He said, however, that the current prosecution was not 'an attempt to bring back and expand blasphemy law.' He said: 'A decision needs to be made as to whether your conduct was simply you exercising your right to protest and freedom of speech or whether your behaviour crossed a line into criminal conduct.' Katy Thorne KC, Coskun's barrister, had argued that even the amended charges against him effectively criminalised any public burning of a religious book and were tantamount to blasphemy laws. 'It is effectively chilling the right of citizens to criticise religion,' she said. She said Coskun's actions were not motivated by hostility towards the followers of Islam but to the religion itself. Judge McGarva, however, said he did not accept that argument. Addressing Coskun, he said: 'You believe Islam is an ideology which encourages its followers to violent paedophilia and a disregard for the rights of non-believers. 'You don't distinguish between the two. I find you have a deep-seated hatred of Islam and its followers. That is based on your experiences in Turkey and the experiences of your family.' 'Highly provocative actions' Giving his verdict, Judge McGarva said: 'Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion.' The judge ordered Coskun, who is currently claiming asylum, to pay a fine of £240. The court heard Coskun, who is now in hiding, had to flee his home country of Turkey two and a half years ago to escape persecution. He argued he was protesting against the 'Islamist government' of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Giving evidence, Coskun made a number of comments about Islam, including claiming the majority of paedophiles are Muslim. Lawyers for the CPS insisted that Coskun was not being prosecuted for setting fire to the Koran. Philip McGhee, for the CPS, said: 'He is being prosecuted for his disorderly behaviour in public.' He added: 'Nothing about the prosecution of this defendant for his words and actions has any impact on the ability of anyone to make any trenchant criticism of a religion. On Feb 13, Coskun, who is of Armenian-Kurdish descent, travelled from his home in the Midlands to the Turkish consulate in Knightsbridge. He then set fire to the holy book and held it above his head, shouting, 'Islam is religion of terrorism'and 'f--- Islam'. As he did so, a passerby attacked him and appeared to slash at Coskun with a blade and then began kicking him when he fell to the ground. Although the man has admitted assaulting Coskun, he has denied using a knife in the attack. The man, whose identity is subject to reporting restrictions, will go on trial in 2027. 'We intend to appeal this verdict' The National Secular Society (NSS), which, alongside the Free Speech Union, paid for Coskun's legal fees, said the verdict 'jeopardises' free expression. A spokesperson for the FSU said: 'This is deeply disappointing. Everyone should be able to exercise their rights to protest peacefully and to freedom of expression, regardless of how offensive or upsetting it may be to some people. 'The Free Speech Union and the National Secular Society intend to appeal this verdict and keep on appealing it until it's overturned. If that means taking it all the way to the European Court of Human Rights, we will do so.' 'Religious tolerance is an important British value, but it doesn't require non-believers to respect the blasphemy codes of believers. On the contrary, it requires people of faith to tolerate those who criticise and protest against their religion, just as their values and beliefs are tolerated.'
Sky News
31 minutes ago
- Sky News
Man convicted after burning Koran outside Turkish consulate in London
A man has been found guilty of an offence after burning a Koran outside the Turkish consulate in London, in a case that sparked debate over the freedom of expression. Hamit Coskun was accused of shouting "f*** Islam" and "Islam is religion of terrorism" as he held up a burning copy of the holy Islamic text in Knightsbridge, London, in February. He was found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence and ordered to pay a £240 fine, with a statutory surcharge of £96. Delivering the verdict, district judge McGarva said: "Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion." The National Secular Society (NSS), which jointly with another organisation paid his legal fees, called it a "significant blow to freedom of expression". The 50-year-old denied using disorderly behaviour "within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress", motivated by "hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam", contrary to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Public Order Act 1986. He had also pleaded not guilty to an alternative charge of using disorderly behaviour "within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress", contrary to section five of the Public Order Act 1986. The charges were alternative, meaning only one or the other would apply, but not both. Prosecutors said Coskun had written on social media he was protesting the "Islamist government" of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who had "made Turkey a base for radical Islamists and is trying to establish a Sharia regime". Mr Erdogan, who has been in power for over 20 years, leads the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which, while created from former Islamist movements and having a strong religious base, describes itself as a conservative-democratic party and has strongly denied being Islamist. Barrister Katy Thorne KC, defending, last week argued the prosecution was effectively trying to revive blasphemy laws, which were abolished in England and Wales in 2008 and Scotland in 2021. Coskun, who has both Kurdish and Armenian heritage but was born in Turkey, travelled from his home in the Midlands and set fire to the Koran on the afternoon of 13 February, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard last week. Footage aired in court showed another man confronting Coskun, allegedly holding a knife and saying: "It's my religion, you don't burn the Koran." NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said: "The outcome of this case is a significant blow to freedom of expression and signals a concerning capitulation to Islamic blasphemy codes." He said it establishes "heckler's veto" that incentivises "violent responses to suppress views deemed offensive". "Such an erosion of free speech is detrimental to community relations. Social cohesion is best achieved not by restricting rights but by fostering their free exercise." Please refresh the page for the latest version.
