Man jailed For Rampaging Through Dundee Mosque

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Mosque

A man who attacked and vandalized a Dundee mosque in a 16-minute rampage has been jailed.

Donald Skene headbutted and punched religious texts on walls and cases containing copies of the Koran at the Taj Madina Mosque while grappling with worshipers.

STV News reports:

Dundee Sheriff Court heard how Skene shouted “I’m white but I’m one of you, brothers” to the Muslim congregation when he was arrested.

Skene, of Soapwork Lane, Dundee, pleaded guilty to breach of the peace and resisting arrest but allegations the offence was religiously aggravated were dropped by the Crown.

The 38-year-old was out on licence at the time of the incident, which was captured on CCTV, and was returned to prison for five months for committing the new offence.

Sheriff Simon Collins QC also placed Skene on a community payback order with a year’s supervision after his release from jail.

CCTV captured Skene entering the mosque’s wash room, where he wandered around crying as members of the congregation prepared to enter the mosque’s prayer room.

Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin told Dundee Sheriff Court: “His behaviour is bizarre. Attempts are made to try to calm him down.”

Skene can be seen in the footage running in circles round the prayer room as worshippers speak to him.

Ms Gilmartin added: “There are various religious texts in glass frames around the room – the accused punches some of them and latterly headbutts them.”

Skene eventually runs in a circle round the room punching out at various texts before launching himself at full speed, head first into a final frame.

Congregation members are seen trying to subdue him but he continues to struggle before trying to escape through a shoe storage room where several small children are seen waiting to enter.

When charged by police Skene said: “I didn’t mean it to be religious.”

Ms Gilmartin said: “He had entered using Islamic greetings and when he was arrested he refers to members of the congregation as brothers and shouts ‘I’m white but I’m one of you’.”

Defence solicitor Ross Donnelly said: “He is extremely apologetic.”

Mosque
Donald Skene

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