Man admits leaving pig's head outside Leicester Muslim community centre

A 24-year-old man has admitted committing a religiously-motivated attack by leaving a frozen pig's head outside a community centre used by a Muslim group.

Liam Ferrar, from Leicester, admitted a charge of intent to cause members of the Muslim community harassment, alarm or distress at Leicester Magistrates' Court today.

The court heard Ferrar left the animal's head outside a community centre in Leicester used by the As-Salaam Trust on Boxing Day last year in a religiously-aggravated incident.

Members of the Muslim group found the animal's head when they arrived at the centre at around 7.30am.

Prosecutor Louise Cox said the members told police they had been "sickened and disgusted" by the incident and found it "extremely distressing".

The court heard a group called the Forgotten Estates, of which Ferrar was a member, had held protests outside the centre over the planned use of a nearby Scout hut by the Muslim group.

Ferrar was arrested on December 28 and charged after tearfully admitting to police that he left the pig on the step.

He told police he had taken the frozen pig's head from a wedding in the summer.

On the night of last month's incident, he told police he had been drunk and it had been a spur of the moment decision to leave the head on the community centre's steps after attending a party with friends, the court heard.

Ferrar knew the impact leaving the head on the step would have on the centre's users, Ms Cox told the court.

Mr Steve Morris, representing Ferrar, told the court his client was not a prominent member of the Forgotten Estates and he regularly acted as police liaison for the group.

Mr Morris also told the court his client had no previous convictions.

District Judge John Temperley released Ferrar on conditional bail.

He will be sentenced at the same court on February 18.

PA