Hackney man jailed for five years after antisemitic tirades near synagogue

A Hackney man has been jailed for five years after admitting a campaign of antisemitic abuse against members of the Jewish community in a series of incidents close to a synagogue.

Tavius Jean-Charles, 36, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on 22 May after pleading guilty to eight religiously aggravated offences, including religiously aggravated fear or provocation of violence and religiously aggravated criminal damage.

Between October 2025 and March of this year, Charles targeted six victims in repeated incidents, all of which took place in close proximity to Belz Synagogue in Stamford Hill.

He shouted death threats at people he believed to be Jewish, made wider comments about harming the Jewish community, and on one occasion suggested that a Jewish school should be blown up.

Some victims were approached in their cars as Charles hurled abuse at them.

‘Profound impact’

Senior Crown prosecutor Ragvesh Singh said the offences had caused serious harm to those targeted and to the wider community.

“Tavius Jean-Charles repeatedly targeted a number of victims in close proximity to a synagogue by shouting antisemitic abuse, making death threats and approaching them in their cars,” he said.

“We know the profound impact these offences have on victims and the wider Jewish community, and this is why we are working closely with the police to take swift action to ensure that the offenders of these serious hate crimes face justice.”

Changed plea

Charles initially denied the charges when he first appeared in court on March 26, and the matter was listed for a two-day trial at Stratford Magistrates’ Court in May.

But after the Crown Prosecution Service worked with the Metropolitan Police to gather further evidence — holding several case conferences and requesting additional material — he changed his plea at a hearing at Thames Magistrates’ Court on 20 April, less than a month after first denying the offences.

Varinder Hayre, district Crown prosecutor and hate crime lead for the CPS London North area, said: “This was a complex case and we worked closely with the Metropolitan Police to build the strongest case right from the outset, including requesting additional evidence.

“After presenting this overwhelming evidence to Jean-Charles in court, he felt he had no choice but to change his pleas to guilty less than 30 days after he had first claimed he was innocent.”

‘No place for hate’

Hayre said she hoped the sentence would send a message to those tempted to commit similar offences.

“In a time where we are prosecuting more hate crime cases than ever before, I hope this outcome reassures the public, particularly the Jewish community, that antisemitic hate crime is treated with the utmost seriousness, with offenders identified, prosecuted, and brought before the courts swiftly,” she said.

“There is no place for hate crime in our society, and we remain committed to taking robust action to protect communities and uphold justice.”

In the year to September 2025, the CPS prosecuted 658 cases flagged as religious hate crimes, securing convictions in just over 79 per cent of them.