Judge waits for medical report on racist who threatened Salma Yaqoob

The mental health of a racist extremist who harassed a Birmingham city councillor will be assessed before he is sentenced.

Stuart Peter John Collins, of Mill Lane, Bartley Green, targeted Respect councillor Salma Yaqoob, who later spoke of the distress it caused.

Collins, aged 50, made offensive phone calls about the councillor to the emergency services claiming she was spreading racial hatred. He pleaded guilty to making offensive phone calls. It puts him in breach of an 18-month suspended jail sentence after he previously bombarded Ms Yaqoob with a series of offensive and racist emails.

Judge Trevor Faber bailed him, after adjourning sentence for a mental health assessment.  He told Collins: “I want to make it clear that I am not giving any indication of sentencing but I am prepared to make a short adjournment so that the psychiatric team can prepare a report for the benefit of the judge who will sentence you.”

In the latest attack, Ms Yaqoob was repeatedly targeted by Collins who said he was “sick of extremists in the UK”.

Ms Yaqoob said: “I am surprised that he is up in court again. I would have thought he would have learnt that it’s not a good idea to send abusive and racist messages, that’s why he was in court last time and having been on the receiving end, it’s not very pleasant.

“But part of me is also concerned that he has mental health issues and I don’t know whether that has been taken into account, but it does sound bizarre going on such rants. I hope he gets the help he needs.”

Birmingham Post, 25 May 2011