Man stormed Jewish wedding on hate spree, court told

A Jewish man who was victim of antisemitic abuse after a man stormed into his brother's wedding reception has described his "fear" and "shock" that left him feeling nervous about attending large Jewish gatherings.

Jack Surpree, had been best man at the wedding at a hotel in Liverpool when he was confronted by Joseph Nixon, 43, who started shouting at guests in what a court heard was a "hate spree".

"In that moment all I could see was hatred and evil," Surpree said in a victim impact statement read to the court.

Nixon of Armagh, Northern Ireland, was given a community order at Liverpool Magistrate's Court on Monday.

Nixon had returned to the Adelphi Hotel in the early hours of 15 September last year when he confronted Surpree, the court heard.

Surpee said he had seen Nixon "storm" into the privately-hired hall.

"He decided to continue his hate spree," he said.

Surpree left his brother's wedding reception, in a function room of the hotel, with his teenage sister at about 12.45am and was in the reception area when he was approached by Nixon and another man, Louise Coe, prosecuting, said.

Nixon was said to have asked him whether he supported Palestine and then, after Surpree ignored him, whether he supported Israel.

The court heard Surpree then "clearly" heard him make an antisemitic comment.

In a statement, Mr Surpree said he went to take his phone out of his jacket pocket and saw the man's facial expression change, which made him "fear he was going to become violent" towards him and his sister.

He said the two men then entered the function room where he could hear "aggressive" shouts.

The incident was said to have lasted seven to eight minutes before Nixon was arrested.

In the victim impact statement Surpree said: "I remember feeling shocked. I had never been the victim of hate before that day."

Surpree said his parents had saved "for years" for the wedding and his sister-in-law told him she had waited "her whole life" for the day and did not "want it to be remembered like this".

He added: "He chose to target me because I am Jewish. He chose to bring hatred into what should have been one of the happiest days of my life."

He urged Nixon to educate himself and "make an effort to speak to Jewish people".

Simon Pook, defending, said at the time of the incident Nixon was under "serious and significant stress" as he was caring for his elderly parents, who later died, and his marriage was breaking down.

He said: "He has witnessed and experienced discrimination for being Irish and, second, for being Catholic."

He told the court Nixon, who works as a chef, had come to Liverpool for a break from stress and did not normally drink, but had been drinking at the time of the incident.

He said: "He is ashamed of the comments he made. He is ashamed of his conduct. That is not who he is and he has full empathy for Mr Surpree for the distress he has caused him."

Nixon was found guilty after a trial of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment.

Magistrates handed him an 18-month community order, with 300 hours of unpaid work, and ordered him to pay a £114 surcharge, £650 court costs and £150 compensation to Mr Surpree.

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