A Fife joiner shocked fellow passengers when he burst into an “appalling” tirade of anti-Palestinian and anti-Muslim abuse during an Edinburgh to Dundee train journey.
Joseph Becman shouted that all Muslims should be castrated and said: “Death to them all.”
The 40-year-old appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to a racially aggravated charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on the 11pm service from Edinburgh Haymarket on December 6 last year.
He admitted making grossly offensive remarks and remarks of a racist nature, placing passengers and staff on the train in a state of fear, alarm and annoyance.
It happened two months after the Israeli military launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the unprecedented October 7 attack.
Anti-Muslim abuse
Prosecutor Charlotte Allan told Dunfermline Sheriff Court that Becman was heard on board the train shouting racial and prejudicial phrases about Muslims and the conflict in Palestine.
The fiscal depute said these included: “Up the Israelis, f*** the Palestinians.
“F*** all the Muslims, they should all be castrated. They are all b******s.
“F***ing Israel should be teaching them a lesson.
“F*** the Muslims; death to them all. They are terrorists”.
The fiscal depute said passengers tried to ask Becman to stop and he was pushed into another carriage by two males he was with.
He then became aggressive towards a male who told him to calm down.
Ms Allan continued: “He simply became louder and repeated things he was saying beforehand”.
Becman was met by police at Inverkeithing railway station after they received multiple phone calls about his behaviour on the journey, the fiscal said.
He was pointed out by passengers and police arrested him.
Fuelled by alcohol
Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said it was a matter of “great regret” for first offender Becman and that these were “clearly appalling comments”.
The solicitor said his client “does not hold those views at heart” and that he appears genuinely remorseful for the comments he made.
The lawyer added: “His position is he thinks he overheard someone talking about it (the conflict).
“He relatively recently found out he has some heritage from Israel, and people were saying things he did not like.
“Rather than engage in constructive discussion about it, perhaps fuelled by alcohol he has said some particularly unpleasant things”.
Mr McLaughlin said it would appear to be a one-off incident.
He said Becman, of Inchgarvie Avenue, Burntisland, is hardworking and earns his living as a joiner.
Sheriff Mark O’Hanlon told Becman: “These are quite appalling comments.
“There is a conflict ongoing. This is not the way to deal with the matter.
“It’s wholly inappropriate.
“The custody threshold has been crossed”.
The sheriff sentenced him to a non-custodial alternative of 187 hours unpaid work.
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