Five men found guilty of GBH at St Albans Mosque
The attack took place in June 2020 at Jamie Mosque on Hatfield Road
Five men were found guilty of GBH at a St Albans mosque following a seven week trial at St Albans Crown Court on Monday (12/12).
The jury reached a unanimous verdict after hearing evidence that the defendants lured a man with baiting phone calls and social media messages to the Jamie Mosque on Hatfield Road on 4 June 2020. They then seriously assaulted him and lied to cover their tracks.
Mohammed Anam, 49, Holyrood Crescent, St Albans; Mohammed Mortuza, 50, Alexander Road, London Colney; Ali Choudhury, 49, Wilshire Avenue, St Albans and Mohammed Choudhury, 67, Cell Barnes Lane, St Albans, were all found guilty of GBH with intent against a 48-year-old man from St Albans.
Faisal Ahmed, 31, Gorham Drive, from St Albans, was found guilty of inflicting GBH.
Mohammed Choudhury and Mohammed Anam were also found guilty of perverting the course of justice on 5 June, 2020, when they both lied to police about CCTV, which had been removed before police could access it.
Mohammed Mortuza pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by encouraging a co-defendant to lie to police and Mohammed Anam was also found guilty of attempted victim intimidation.
Detective Constable Rob Davies from the Local Crime Unit said: “This was a serious assault which left a man with three broken ribs and he was in hospital for over two weeks. He was lured to the Jamie Mosque via a text message sent by Mohammed Mortuza, the five convicted men then set upon him and then tried to cover up their crime.
“This has been a two-and-a-half year investigation and we are pleased that these men have now been convicted.”
They will be sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Friday 3 February, 2023.