Comedian Reginald D Hunter faces private prosecution over social media posts
The 56-year-old US stand-up is accused of three counts of sending an offensive communication on three different occasions – on August 24, September 10 and September 11 last year – to Heidi Bachram on X, formerly Twitter.
He was due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Friday but Deputy Chief Magistrate Tan Ikram issued a warrant for him to attend court on July 7 in his absence.
Prosecutor Donal Lawler told the court that Hunter is a 'well-known comedian' who is being privately prosecuted by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) charity.
It is alleged Hunter sent a computer-generated sexual image to Ms Bachram in August last year, with the charges claiming it was 'grossly offensive'.
On September 10 he is said to have tweeted Ms Bachram saying: 'THIS is why I HATE these people and am committed to their destruction not because JEW hatred Not even because they are European Nazis pretending to be JEWS Because of all the lying. Mama HATED liars and bequeathed that hatred to ALL of her children.'
The following day, it is alleged he sent another message saying: 'Hey sugar. I don't hate you for being an agent of evil. Not new Not even uncommon. You being a liar a persistent liar KNOWING the truth, is why I will see you and your kind ended, even if it costs me EVERYTHING. You are not even a JEW. Run tell that.'
Hunter regularly tours the UK and has appeared on comedy panel shows Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You and 8 Out Of 10 Cats.
Mr Lawler told the court on Friday that the comedian was due to begin a tour of England and Wales tomorrow.
The prosecutor said Hunter was scheduled to do a gig in London on July 6, adding that his legal team may be able to serve him his court summons in person at the venue on that date.
The CAA describes itself as an organisation of volunteers which works to 'expose and counter antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law'.
Stephen Silverman, the group's director of investigations and enforcement, said: 'This is one of a number of private prosecutions that we are bringing, and there will be more to say on the case in due course.'
Hunter's representatives have been approached for comment.
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