Cannabis smoking thug ripped off Muslim woman's Niqab in front of her shocked family after flying into a rage because cinema was not showing the film he wanted to see

A thug high on cannabis ripped a veil off the face of a Muslim woman

Ian Brazier, 26, tore off 26-year-old Farhana Chughtai's Niqab in the middle of a busy shopping centre in Solihull, West Mids. in front of her shocked family.

Brazier today pleaded guilty to one charge of racially aggravated common assault by beating at Solihull Magistrates Court - and is facing a maximum sentence of two years in prison.

The court heard Miss Chughtai - who was not present at the hearing - was with her family in the Touchwood Shopping Centre on March 3 when she felt her hair being tugged from behind.

Prosecutor John McCann told the court Brazier then tore Miss Chughtai's veil off her head leaving her face exposed - a major taboo in Islam.

He said: 'The complainant was wearing the Niqab, walking through the shopping centre on a Saturday afternoon with other family members.

'She felt a tug to her hair from the back and shortly afterwards felt the Niqab come away from her face

'She turned to see this defendant, a complete stranger, standing behind her.

'She felt humiliated and very upset.

'There was clearly no injury, the pull on the hair is the assault.

'It is clearly racially aggravated because of the nature of the assault and the removal of this particular item of clothing by this defendant.'

Jobless builder Brazier ran off but was caught after he was spotted fleeing the scene on CCTV.

He initially gave a ‘no comment' interview but returned to a police station and made a full confession.

Habib Ahmed, defending, said Brazier had headed to the shopping centre's cinema after smoking cannabis for the first time that day.

He said: 'When his second choice film was also not showing, Brazier became angry and directed his anger towards the first person he saw, who happened to be Miss Chughtai.

'He had smoked cannabis for the first time that day, and had not anticipated the effect it would have on him.

'He was clearly upset and decided to leave.

'Mr Brazier holds no hostility to anyone wearing the Niqab on a day-to-day basis.'

Brazier, from Shirley, West Mids., was bailed and ordered to return to court for sentencing on July 4.

The maximum sentence for racially aggravated common assault by beating is two years in prison.

Magistrate Tony Tindall told Brazier: 'We believe that the immediate effect of your actions on the victim and the racial humiliation that she suffered were the key points in this particular offence.'

'It was carried out in a public place, namely Touchwood Shopping Centre, and while you were under the influence of drugs, which are clearly aggravating matters."

Brazier refused to comment outside court.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk 13/06/2012