Deputy leader of Britain First Jayda Fransen burst into a takeaway and screamed at a Muslim man, branding him a “paedophile” and a “foreigner”, a court heard.
The accusations came during the 31-year-old’s trial for religiously aggravated harassment, alongside the far-right group’s leader Paul Golding, 36.
The pair, both of Penge, south east London, deny all the allegations in the charges.
Leader and deputy leader of Britain First, Paul Golding and Jayda Fransen (Gareth Fuller/PA)
Jamshed Khesrow told Folkestone Magistrates’ Court about an incident on May 5 last year when he was visiting 555 Pizza takeaway, which his friend owns in Ramsgate, Kent.
He said at the time two children were playing in the middle of the shop, and he went to investigate when he heard banging on the front doors and window.
He said he heard Fransen “screaming” and shouting: “Come out you paedophile. You’re a rapist. Come outside, I want to talk to you.
“She was swearing. I was so scared, I thought she was going to start fighting with me.
“She was very aggressive and angry. I didn’t know what was going on.”
There were sniggers from the public gallery – which was packed full of the group’s supporters – as Mr Khesrow gave his evidence from behind a screen.
Mr Khesrow told the owner to dial 999 and said Golding was filming at the time.
Then he told the court he heard Fransen shouting in the street: “I’m not scared of the police. I don’t care about the police.”
Mr Khesrow added: “I’ve lived in England for 17 years and I’ve never been scared like this.”
When questioned as to why he had not previously mentioned the specific comments she made, he said: “Nobody asked me. If nobody asks me, how can I say it? You’re asking me now and I’m answering you. I don’t need to lie to you.
“You know and I know that she is swearing my religion all the time.”
Fransen and Golding were arrested on May 10 over alleged campaigning around the then-ongoing trial of three Muslim men and a teenager, who were later convicted and jailed for raping a 16-year-old girl in a flat above the takeaway.
When they were questioned by police over the distribution of leaflets and online videos posted during the trial, they did not comment.
Earlier in the trial, the court watched video footage entitled “Muslim rapists 2” which showed Faiz Rahmani standing with his brother Tamin Rahmani – one of the defendants – and his barrister outside by the door to Canterbury Crown Court.
Fransen was seen walking up the steps towards the group, asking if they were Muslim and “what they were in for”.
Giving evidence in court, Mr Rahmani claimed she called Muslims “bastards” and “rapists” – comments which did not appear on the footage shown – and branded her “aggressive and loud”.
Another witness, Ikram Safai, told how he found a video on the Britain First website of Fransen knocking on his door, but identifying it as the home of Sershah Muslimyar – another defendant in the trial who used to live there before him.
Mr Safai, who is originally from Afghanistan, has lived in the UK since 2013 and in that house for around two-and-a-half years, told the court in the video Fransen said: “Come out dirty Muslim.
“Rapist Muslim. Come out and speak to me face to face if you’re man enough.”
He said a social worker advised him to move house, adding: “I was upset, scared, angry.”
Leaflets the group allegedly distributed in the street, which were shown in court, purported to feature a picture of Muslimyar.
But Mr Safai, who had met him, said this was not him.
The prosecution say Faiz Rahmani was wrongly identified as Muslimyar in these leaflets.
The trial continues on Tuesday, when both Fransen and Golding are expected to enter the witness box to give evidence in their defence.