Three Charged with Driving and ‘Racial Harassment’ Offences After Islamic Community Centre ‘Crash’

The Hussaini Association in the Cricklewood
John Stillwell/PA/AP
Liam Deacon

A man has appeared in court charged with offences including dangerous driving and racial harassment in relation to a “crash” outside a north London Muslim centre that injured three.

A vehicle struck the three victims outside the Al-Majlis Al-Hussaini Islamic Centre in Cricklewood last month, on September 19. Officers were called at around 12.35 am.

Two men under 30 suffered minor injuries and a man in his 50s was taken to hospital with a serious leg injury, with some reports claiming he broke his pelvis. He has since been discharged.

Three men and a woman were arrested in connection with the incident, and officers charged three people on Wednesday.

Martin Stokes, 24, of Wembley, was charged with multiple offences in connection with the incident, London Metropolitan police said.

He was charged with grievous bodily harm, aggravated taking a vehicle without consent, causing injury by dangerous driving, driving without a licence, and racially aggravated harassment with the intention to cause alarm or distress.

Appearing at Willesden Magistrates’ Court Thursday, he was dressed in a grey hoodie, grey shorts, and a white shirt, keeping his arms folded for most of the hearing, London Economic reports.

According to the website, the prosecutor added extra charges to his sheet on Thursday. Stokes denied all charges.

He was refused bail at the magistrates’ hearing and will be tried for all offences, other than vehicle interference, at Harrow Crown Court next month.

A separate trial for the charge of vehicle interference will begin in December at Willesden Magistrates’ Court.

Michael O’Donnell, 20, and Thomas McDonagh, 20, were also been charged Wednesday, whilst a 17-year-old girl who was also arrested was bailed until November, police said.

O’Donnell has been charged with being carried in a stolen vehicle and with vehicle interference. McDonagh, meanwhile, of Wembley, has been charged with being carried in a stolen vehicle.

The pair will appear in court at a date that has not been confirmed at this time.

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