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Selby man jailed for race-hate crimes
A Selby man who fled to the United States after waging a campaign of hate against Jews and other minority groups has been jailed.
Simon Sheppard, 52, was convicted, along with Stephen Whittle, 42, of a number of race hate crimes. He was sentenced to four years and 10 months, while Whittle was jailed for two years and four months at Leeds Crown Court.
The pair had two lengthly trials. During the first, in July last year, the pair skipped bail and fled to California, where they sought asylum claiming they were being persecuted for their right-wing views.
They were deported back to the UK last month.
The investigation into the men began when a complaint about a leaflet called "Tales of the Holohoax" was reported to the police in 2004 after it was pushed through the door of a Synagogue in Blackpool.
It was traced back to a post office box in Hull registered to Sheppard.
Police later found a website featuring racially inflammatory material. Other published material included grotesque images of murdered Jews alongside cartoons and articles ridiculing ethnic groups.
The pair were charged with publishing racially inflammatory material, distributing racially inflammatory material and possessing racially inflammatory material with a view to distribution.
Sheppard, of Brook Street, was found guilty of 16 offences and Whittle, of Avenham Lane, Preston, Lancashire, was found guilty of five.
Judge Rodney Grant said: "I can say without any hesitation that I have rarely seen, or had to read or consider, material which is so abusive and insulting ... towards racial groups within our own society."
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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