An Afghan migrant who got here to the UK on a small boat has been jailed for 5 years after posting a TikTok video through which he threatened to kill Reform UK chief Nigel Farage.
A whole lot of hundreds of viewers noticed the “chilling” video Fayaz Khan, 26, posted final October, through which Southwark Crown Courtroom heard he threatened to “pop pop pop” Mr Farage.
As he was sentenced, Khan yelled to the courtroom that Mr Farage had initiated proceedings to “use me because you want to be prime minister”.
As he was taken right down to the cells, he once more shouted: “You want to be prime minister, I am not here because I want to kill you.
“I wish to return to Afghanistan, ship me again to Afghanistan, my household is in Afghanistan.
“You want to use me because you want to be prime minister.
“Simply since you wish to do that you simply wish to f*** my life, you wish to put me in jail.”
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Farage ‘deeply, deeply involved’
Exterior the courtroom, Mr Farage welcomed the sentence however stated he was “deeply deeply concerned” Khan could be “out in 18 months”.
He added: “This violent criminal… will be in this country, living in a house of multiple occupancy or a hotel, free to walk the streets whilst his asylum claim is judged.”
‘Do not discuss s***’
Jurors had been advised the TikTok content material was posted in response to a video Mr Farage had uploaded to YouTube titled “the journey of an illegal migrant”, which highlighted Khan and referenced “young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little”.
Khan’s publish appeared to say: “Englishman Nigel, don’t talk s*** about me.
“You not know me. I come to England as a result of I wish to marry together with your sister. You not know me.
“Don’t talk about me more. Delete the video.
“I am coming to England. I’ll pop, pop, pop.”
Picture:
Nigel Farage stated he was ‘genuinely apprehensive’ after seeing Fayaz Khan’s TikTok video. Pic: PA
Whereas Khan stated “pop, pop, pop” he made “gun gestures with his hand”. He additionally headbutted the digital camera throughout the video and pointed to an AK-47 tattoo on his face to “emphasise he wasn’t joking”, jurors have been advised.
Khan had “live-streamed” his journey throughout the English Channel from France and was arrested on 31 October final yr after arriving within the UK on a small boat, Detective Constable Liam Taylor advised the courtroom.
Mr Farage advised the trial final week he discovered Khan’s video “pretty chilling”, including: “Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried.”
‘Sorry’
Jurors deliberated for 11 hours and 55 minutes earlier than discovering him responsible.
Throughout the sentencing listening to on Tuesday, Khan requested his lawyer Charles Royle to apologise to Mr Farage and the politician’s sister “for any offence and upset caused”.
Mr Farage, who arrived at courtroom with safety guards, was sitting simply metres away from the defendant within the courtroom.
Identified in Britain as Khan and 26 years previous, prosecutor Peter Ratliff stated that in Sweden – the place Khan had lived beforehand – authorities consider he’s referred to as Fayaz Husseini and is 31.
The courtroom heard it was thought he had given a false title within the UK to cover his Swedish prison historical past, which included convictions for carrying a knife in a public place and threatening behaviour.
Mr Ratliff stated information counsel Khan had been convicted of 17 offences on 12 separate events there.
Addressing the video from Mr Farage, sentencing decide Mrs Justice Steyn advised Khan: “You saw the widespread dissemination of Mr Farage’s video as a hindrance to your attempts to come to the UK.”
Khan was additionally sentenced for getting into the UK illegally having beforehand pleaded responsible to the offence.
