Police arrest 13-year-old boy on suspicion of tormenting Muslim family by putting a crucifix of HAM outside their home

A 13-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of tormenting a Muslim family by putting a crucifix of ham outside their home.

The teenager is accused of waging a campaign of racial abuse against the terrified family as well as targeting a business with racist graffiti and throwing bricks at an Indian restaurant.

The first incident on August 11 this year saw racist graffiti scrawled on the Signor Pepper restaurant in Market Place, Bingham, near Nottingham.

On October 31 bricks were also thrown at a neighbouring curry house, and on November 20 a Muslim family had a flaming cross put on their doorstep.

It was only on closer inspection that the family noticed that the makeshift cross had been wrapped in ham - which Muslim's are forbidden to eat.

The same family were targeted again on December 3 when a 32-year-old woman was racially abused as she walked down the street.

In a further attack, the family had misspelt graffiti scrawled on their driveway which read: 'FUK ALLAH'

The boy was arrested and last Friday was released on bail pending further inquiries.
A Nottinghamshire police spokesperson said: 'Inquiries are ongoing and police continue to work with affected parties and residents to establish who is responsible.

'Increased patrols have been mounted to provide reassurance and officers have been conducting house-to-house inquiries and working very closely with the victims to ensure they are safe.

'Hate crime is completely unacceptable in any degree or form and Notts Police take any incidents of this nature incredibly seriously.'

The homeowner, a 39-year-old father-of-two, who does to wish to be named, said: 'One of the neighbours knocked on my door and showed me the graffiti - someone had spray-painted racist messages on the pavement.

'It's not the first time we have been targeted. Just last month there was a knock on the door and I went to open it.

'Nobody was there, but the cross was propped up against the door. It was light, and it fell into the house when I opened the door. I noticed sliced ham was tied to it.

'I'm disgusted and shocked. My wife was in bits - she was very angry and in fear of her life. I don't want to leave my wife and kids here.'
He added: 'I came home after the cross incident and one of my sons was on the computer looking at Google Maps. I asked him what he was doing, he said he was looking for escape routes.
'My wife is too scared to go out on her own, I have to escort her everywhere and can't leave her and the kids on their own. It's very distressing.'

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