Anti-racism protester attacked white Muslim convert ‘for how he looked'

Telegraph

10-02-2025

A former nurse attacked a white Muslim convert at an anti-racism protest during the riots following the Southport killings after wrongly claiming he was a racist, a court heard.
Caroline Leneghan, who has the Palestinian flag as her Facebook profile, was outside the Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth, Dorset on Aug 7 last year when she turned on Dylan Fontaine and accused him of being far-Right.
Poole magistrates' court heard that Mr Fontaine and his brother Steven are practising Muslims who were there in solidarity with asylum seekers.
Leneghan, 43, was found guilty of assault and criminal damage following a trial. Her sentencing was adjourned but she was told by Orla Austin, the district judge, that she viewed the offences 'in the context of the widespread disorder' that took place around the country.
At the time there had been attacks on mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers that were fuelled by social media misinformation that Southport killer Axel Rudakubana was a Muslim asylum seeker.
The Roundhouse Hotel was said to be a possible target and a group of counter-protesters gathered outside to protect the occupants.
Leneghan said she was there as part of the Dorset Palestine Solidarity Campaign as she felt there was a 'crossover' with the plight of asylum seekers.
The Fontaine brothers said they had been made aware of the protest in the WhatsApp group BCP Against Racism.
Steven Fontaine told the court: 'We had seen lots of videos, up north mostly, of people smashing up mosques, beating up women and taking their hijab off so we were just there to support the police if anything escalated.
'[Leneghan] came over and said 'you don't belong here, you should be on the other side, you're racist'. I said 'what makes you think that?'
'She was basically saying 'you're not Muslim, judging by what you're wearing'. There were people in balaclavas and she wasn't talking to them so it was based on what I look like. She decided I wasn't a typical Muslim.'
He said Leneghan was 'loitering' around them so his brother started filming her.
He added: 'Everyone was on edge at the time because of all the violence. I was a bit nervous, she was saying we were racists. She was proper frantic and going mad.'
On video footage shown in court, Leneghan is heard confronting Dylan Fontaine, saying 'you clearly don't belong here', 'you're looking very suspicious' and 'I don't think you're one of us'.
Dylan Fontaine can be heard asking 'why are you assuming my beliefs?' to which she said 'because I can tell from looking at you' and added 'the clothes for a start'. Mr Fontaine was dressed casually in grey shorts, a black top and a cap.
In a second clip, Leneghan can be heard saying 'he's a fascist, you both are. Why don't you go back over there?' and pointed to the other side of the road where there was a small group of what were believed to be far-Right protesters.
Leneghan then grabbed Mr Fontaine's iPhone and threw it on the floor, smashing the back.
She then tried to prevent Mr Fontaine from picking it up and 'lunged' at him several times before shouting 'he's a racist, get him'.
He told the court: 'Tensions were high and I was being shouted at that I was a racist. Someone grabbed me, people were pulling and grabbing me. Luckily there were some people that knew me and they calmed down the situation. If I hadn't known anyone there it could have been a lot worse.'
Mr Fontaine said afterwards he wasn't physically injured but 'felt sick'. He spoke to a police officer but initially decided not to make an official complaint before later changing his mind.
'He was and still is a racist'
Leneghan told the court the brothers 'stood out' and seemed suspicious because they were keeping to themselves.
She said: 'They didn't look like they were trying to be part of our group.
'His replies just cemented my belief that they were there for nefarious purposes. He seemed to be filming people covertly and he wasn't filming the group on the other side of the road, he was filming our group.'
She claimed she put her hand in front of the camera lens to prevent him from filming and he dropped the phone but she denied saying 'get him' or inciting any violence towards him.
Victoria Hill, prosecuting, put it to Leneghan: 'Racists, fascists, they were quite dangerous things to say in the circumstances. Saying those things to them put them at risk of being targeted didn't it?'
Leneghan replied: 'I felt like we were at risk from them.'
She added: 'It was my strong belief that he was and still is a racist.'
Judge Austin said Mr Fontaine was a credible witness and found Leneghan guilty of assault and criminal damage.
She said: 'She had no right whatsoever to stop him filming and no right to grab his phone. I'm entirely satisfied that she touched him, it was unlawful. Throughout she was gesticulating, her language was offensive, making serious accusations which she made with no evidential basis.
'She took it into her own hands to decide who should or shouldn't be there and what they should do.
'There is no evidence Mr Fontaine was engaged in anything other than lawful activity. Miss Leneghan was the aggressor and committed two offences.'
She adjourned sentencing until April so a pre-sentence report can be carried out.
However, she warned her: 'I also note you were there to protect others being attacked based on their race and nationality yet approached the Fontaine brothers because you didn't think they looked like they should be there.'