Britain First leader and deputy jailed for hate crimes as judge slams their 'hostility towards Muslims'

The leader and deputy leader of far-right group Britain First have been jailed for a total of 54 weeks after being found guilty of religiously-aggravated harassment.

Leader Paul Golding, 36, and deputy leader Jayda Fransen, 32, were arrested over the distribution of leaflets and the posting of online videos during a gang-rape trial in May last year in Kent.

Golding was found guilty of one charge of religiously-aggravated harassment and Fransen three counts of the same offence at Folkestone Magistrates' Court on Wednesday (7 March).

Judge Justin Barron threw out three of the charges, two of Golding's and one of Fransen's

Fransen was handed a 36-week sentence and Golding 18 weeks after magistrates heard that they targeted innocent people they thought was involved in a rape trial.

The pair, both from Penge in south-east London, were arrested in May last year and denied a total of seven counts of harassment during their trial in January this year.

Barren said the pair's words and actions "demonstrated hostility" towards Muslims and the Islamic faith, reported BBC News.

"I have no doubt it was their joint intention to use the facts of the case [in Canterbury] for their own political ends," said Barren.

"It was a campaign to draw attention to the race, religion and immigrant background of the defendants."

The court was told that in May last year Fransen and Golding attended 555 Pizza takeaway in Ramsgate, which they believed was the address of one defendant who was standing trial for rape at Canterbury Crown Court, where three men and a teenager were jailed for rape.

Magistrates heard that Fransen and Golding banged on the windows and doors of the takeaway while yelling "paedophile" and "foreigner" at an innocent member of the public inside.

The pair filmed their actions and released it through their social media channels and through the Britain First website.

The defendants also posted offensive leaflets through letterboxes of houses close to where they thought the alleged rapists lived.

Fransen was convicted of visiting a house she wrongly believed to be the current address of Sershah Muslimyar, a man who was later convicted of rape, and shouting abuse.

Fransen also visited the home of Tamin Rahmani and shouted racist abuse through the front door while his pregnant partner Kelli Best was in the property.

During the trial Fransen had denied being a racist but admitted she had carried out campaigns against citizens accused of sex offences.