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| "Disgraceful": Timothy Wynne-Jones |
A globetrotting chartered engineer, who told Asian Border Force officers at Heathrow: “Your kind are going to let terrorists into the country,” paid the price today for his “disgraceful behaviour.”
Timothy Alban Wynne-Jones, 55, was told his passport would have to pass a forgery check and replied: “So, you’re not going to let me into the country. You’re going to let these terrorists into the country.”
Wynne-Jones, of Beechcroft Avenue, Rickmansworth was convicted of two counts of racially aggravated harassment towards officers Afsheen Raja, 36 and Naheed Yacub, 34 on January 22, last year.
Today he was fined £1,000 on each count and ordered to pay each officer £2,500 compensation. Another £3,500 in court costs will be added to his £8,500 Legal aid bill.
“You are in your mid-fifties and have never been in trouble before,” Isleworth Crown Court Judge Robin Johnson told Wynne-Jones.
“I have to sentence you for your disgraceful conduct at London Heathrow. Those who work at passport control perform an essential service and often passengers arrive tired and frustrated and are rude and abusive.
“Your conduct went well beyond the rudeness that arises. You were abusive and racist in your language and only your good character and the fact that you must have passed through the airport hundreds of times without incident prevents a more serious sentence.
“The compensation is for your foul behaviour,” added the judge, ordering Wynne-Jones to pay a £120 victim surcharge and the full amount at £750 per month or face 90 days imprisonment.
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| Naheed Yacub & Ashen Raja |
Wynne-Jones’s attempt to pay a lesser rate was rejected. “The pre-sentence report mentions his income and if it is anything like that he can pay more than five hundred pounds a month.”
Wynne-Jones presented his British passport at Terminal Four after a trip to Bulgaria.
The microchip could not be opened and when he heard a supervisor named Harpreet was needed Wynne-Jones responded: “Another Indian? There are far too many Indians protecting the border.”
The outburst nearly ended his marriage. “His wife is a German national who was very unhappy and threatened to leave her husband because of this conviction,” said Mr. Sam Trefgarne, defending.
Prosecutor Mr. Alec Williams told the court: “Rather than wait Mr. Wynne-Jones’ response is to get annoyed and become racially abusive.”
The jury heard that as a bearded Asian male passed through passport control Wynne-Jones added: “Ah look. You’re letting a terrorist through. I’m the only British person here, you’re all terrorists.”
Mr. Williams said Wynne-Jones continued: “Look. A terrorist protecting the border. Brown people should not be protecting the border, you’re all terrorists.”
“He also tried to push through the gate before clearing passport control.”
When questioned by police Wynne-Jones conceded he may have been abrupt, but denied using the racist words.
Officer Raja told the jury: “He seemed a little aggressive, talking quite loudly.
“He said: ‘When are you going to stop letting the Bulgars into the country?’
“He asked me that several times, but I ignored him.”
When his passport was taken for a forgery check Wynne-Jones became more annoyed. “He said it was the British government issuing these Mickey Mouse passports.” added Mr. Williams.
When the forgery officer returned he asked: “Are you checking that I’m British?”
Officer Raja took offence at the ‘your kind’ comment. “I felt because I’m of Asian origin he was referring to my race.”
Officer Yacub told the jury: “He laughed and said to me: ‘Ah look. We have a terrorist protecting the border.’
“He said I wasn’t British and I didn’t have a British passport.”
Afterwards she said: “This is a groundbreaking case for Border Force. This is the first successful prosecution of this kind we’ve had.
“We won’t tolerate abuse and this case is a lesson for officers not to take it. We can’t tolerate this racism.
“He assumed being a respectable businessman would bring him a not guilty verdict.
“He was arrogant, authoritative, dismissive and said we were not good at our jobs.
“All this stuff about brown people and terrorism has to stop. We are the people who make the system work.”
Mr. Trefgarne told the court Wynne-Jones spent £8,500 in legal fees to fight the case. “He continues to deny the offences.
“He was returning from Bulgaria where he was working as a management consultant when this incident happened at Heathrow.
“Perhaps this was borne out of frustration. Mr. Wynne-Jones coming back into the country after a long journey and tired.
“Albeit a racial undertone there wasn’t loud derogatory comments shouted or violence used or threatened.
“He is a man of good character, a professional man. The fact of this conviction will cause Mr. Wynne-Jones embarrassment.
“There are press in the public gallery today and that will cause further embarrassment if reported.
“He is a man who works and supports his family. A financial penalty will have a detrimental effect on him.
“The very fact of being in court and convicted has caused him a great deal of distress.”
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