JONES: ACCUSED MOSQUE ATTACKERS DENIED ALL KNOWLEDGE

Five men accused of hurling bricks at a mosque denied any knowledge of the attack when questioned by police, a court heard.

The group tried to storm the Redbridge Islamic Centre in east London after taunting worshippers arriving for evening prayers with sickening racist chants, Snaresbrook Crown Court has heard.

They were arrested close to the scene shortly after the incident in which imam Shafeel Begg was injured, but told officers they had not seen any violence.

Ryan Jones, 23, Rocky Beale, 21 and Eliot Jones, 19, are alleged to have taken part in the attack at the mosque in Eastern Avenue, Ilford, on March 24 this year.

Daniel Leal, 19, Matthew Stephenson 18, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are also said to have been involved.

They are said to have taunted worshippers with chants of ‘EDL’, ‘Muslim bastards’ and ‘dirty Pakis’.

But in a police interview read to the jury today, Ryan Jones allegedly told officers: ‘The first I heard of anything was when the police turned up.

‘I saw two men running towards me and I was told to get down and arrested.’

In his interview, Stephenson said: ‘All I remember was walking down the road and a police officer coming up to me and telling me to stand still because I was going to be arrested.

‘Then he just got me to the floor and all the people I was with were on the floor being arrested.

‘I was just walking down Eastern Avenue. I didn’t really know where I was going.

‘I think I was going to go home because I had to go to college all day the next day.

‘I wouldn’t say I was drunk but I’d had a bit to drink.’

Asked about the chants of ‘EDL’, he replied: ‘I just know there were lots of marchers. It was on the news.

‘I had heard about them and talked about them before. They had been in a few riots and stuff.’

Leal is said to have told police that the gang met up at Oddsets bookmakers in Beehive Lane and had been making their way to Redbridge Tube station, from where they planned to head into central London for a night out.

‘We were walking along and the police pulled up,’ he said.

‘They thought we were involved in some incident, but we weren’t.

‘I didn’t see any windows being smashed, I didn’t see any bricks being thrown and I definitely didn’t go into the mosque.

‘I think it’s quite unfortunate.’

Eliot Jones and Beale also denied taking part in the attack or witnessing any violent scenes, while the 16-year-old gave a ‘no comment’ interview, the court was told.

The five men further denied damaging cars parked near the mosque.

Beale, of (50) Purleigh Avenue, Woodford Green, Essex, Eliot and Ryan Jones, both of no fixed address, Leal, of (84) Queenborough Gardens, Ilford, Matthew Stephenson, of (67) Burrow Road, Chigwell, and the 16-year-old all deny violent disorder.

The trial continues.
ends