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| 'Racist abuse made my daughter want to leave Wales' | 'Racist abuse made my daughter want to leave Wales' |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Caernarfon racism victim: "I'm not going to run any more" | |
| A mother who was racially abused in the street says it made her feel unwanted in the place she had made her home. | A mother who was racially abused in the street says it made her feel unwanted in the place she had made her home. |
| Shakila Meli was told to "go home" and that she "didn't belong" while at a bus stop with her children in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. | Shakila Meli was told to "go home" and that she "didn't belong" while at a bus stop with her children in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. |
| But the 31-year-old hairdresser who grew up in Kenya refused to back down and called the police. | But the 31-year-old hairdresser who grew up in Kenya refused to back down and called the police. |
| The man shouting abuse has since been jailed for two years after admitting racial harassment. | The man shouting abuse has since been jailed for two years after admitting racial harassment. |
| "It was terrifying," said Shakila, who moved to Llanllyfni near Caernarfon in north-west Wales in 2017. | "It was terrifying," said Shakila, who moved to Llanllyfni near Caernarfon in north-west Wales in 2017. |
| The events unfolded after she had taken a bus trip from her home village to Caernarfon in August, when she waved to a female friend at the bus stop while waiting to return home. | The events unfolded after she had taken a bus trip from her home village to Caernarfon in August, when she waved to a female friend at the bus stop while waiting to return home. |
| But Michael Owen Williams began insulting her, first in Welsh, which her five-year-old daughter Pegah speaks. | But Michael Owen Williams began insulting her, first in Welsh, which her five-year-old daughter Pegah speaks. |
| "She came running to me and she told me 'mum - he's saying really mean and racial things to you'," said Shakila. | "She came running to me and she told me 'mum - he's saying really mean and racial things to you'," said Shakila. |
| "She said 'he's saying that you're a dirty Muslim. You shouldn't be here, you're illegal'." | "She said 'he's saying that you're a dirty Muslim. You shouldn't be here, you're illegal'." |
| The mother-of-three said the words "really hurt", especially accusations of being in Wales illegally. | The mother-of-three said the words "really hurt", especially accusations of being in Wales illegally. |
| "I've worked so hard, so hard for five years - me and my husband to get the money for the visa - for everything I've sacrificed, he's sacrificed," she said. | "I've worked so hard, so hard for five years - me and my husband to get the money for the visa - for everything I've sacrificed, he's sacrificed," she said. |
| "Now, I was finally a permanent resident and I felt it was a relief. | "Now, I was finally a permanent resident and I felt it was a relief. |
| "But for him to tell me I'm illegal, not knowing the back story of how hard I struggled just to make everything legal. That really hurt me." | "But for him to tell me I'm illegal, not knowing the back story of how hard I struggled just to make everything legal. That really hurt me." |
| Shakila said 36-year-old Williams then approached her aggressively, with her young daughter running from the scene. | Shakila said 36-year-old Williams then approached her aggressively, with her young daughter running from the scene. |
| "She's screaming 'mum we have to run - we have to run'. This is a little girl. She's telling her mum we have to run," Shakila added. | "She's screaming 'mum we have to run - we have to run'. This is a little girl. She's telling her mum we have to run," Shakila added. |
| "And I said 'no, I'm not going to run any more'. | "And I said 'no, I'm not going to run any more'. |
| "He started coming close to me in and he started telling me 'what are you going to do, what are you gonna do? Can't do nothing. Nothing'." | "He started coming close to me in and he started telling me 'what are you going to do, what are you gonna do? Can't do nothing. Nothing'." |
| It was then she phoned the police for help, while a passer-by also intervened. | It was then she phoned the police for help, while a passer-by also intervened. |
| "If it was not for one of this lady. I'm still looking for her, but she actually came and defended me. I think she saw that he was going to hurt me," said Shakila. | "If it was not for one of this lady. I'm still looking for her, but she actually came and defended me. I think she saw that he was going to hurt me," said Shakila. |
| "She was actually like shielding me and that was really beautiful to see. She said 'you're not going to do anything to this lady - you can't do anything'." | "She was actually like shielding me and that was really beautiful to see. She said 'you're not going to do anything to this lady - you can't do anything'." |
| Shakila said police arrived on the scene and Williams was arrested. | Shakila said police arrived on the scene and Williams was arrested. |
| "I saw the police just jump out of the car and just took him, you know. And and I felt so much relief. Just seeing the efforts of the police to actually take that action," she said. | "I saw the police just jump out of the car and just took him, you know. And and I felt so much relief. Just seeing the efforts of the police to actually take that action," she said. |
| "And that meant the world to me." | "And that meant the world to me." |
| Shakila said the aftermath of the incident left her shaken, adding: "The people here are lovely. And I love them. | Shakila said the aftermath of the incident left her shaken, adding: "The people here are lovely. And I love them. |
| "They know that they've given me so much support. So me, in my head, I never thought I'd see this thing again in Caernarfon. | "They know that they've given me so much support. So me, in my head, I never thought I'd see this thing again in Caernarfon. |
| "For me I was like' 'oh no, I can't take it'." | "For me I was like' 'oh no, I can't take it'." |
| She said she phoned her husband Jason, who is British, and told him: "I can't stay here. I need to go back home. My daughter wants me to go home and she wants to be in Kenya." | She said she phoned her husband Jason, who is British, and told him: "I can't stay here. I need to go back home. My daughter wants me to go home and she wants to be in Kenya." |
| She said her five-year-old daughter had been traumatised by Williams' verbal assault. | She said her five-year-old daughter had been traumatised by Williams' verbal assault. |
| "She kept on saying 'mum - We need to go to Kenya and this is not a home. Everyone hates us. No one likes us'," said Shakila. | "She kept on saying 'mum - We need to go to Kenya and this is not a home. Everyone hates us. No one likes us'," said Shakila. |
| "She is having anxiety. She can't go to Caernarfon at all. | "She is having anxiety. She can't go to Caernarfon at all. |
| "It's not right to make a little girl feel like that. She didn't do anything to that guy at all." | "It's not right to make a little girl feel like that. She didn't do anything to that guy at all." |
| Michael Owen Williams was given a 25-month jail sentence | Michael Owen Williams was given a 25-month jail sentence |
| Williams, from Pwllheli, Gwynedd, pleaded guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment. | Williams, from Pwllheli, Gwynedd, pleaded guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment. |
| He also admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order, which banned him from approaching and harassing or intimidating women. | He also admitted breaching a sexual offences prevention order, which banned him from approaching and harassing or intimidating women. |
| He was jailed at Mold Crown Court for two years and one month on 22 October. | He was jailed at Mold Crown Court for two years and one month on 22 October. |
| Shakila said the prison sentence had restored her faith, and praised the police for their actions. | Shakila said the prison sentence had restored her faith, and praised the police for their actions. |
| "There's a burden taken off me off my chest and all of a sudden I felt like now - this is home, this is home," she said. | "There's a burden taken off me off my chest and all of a sudden I felt like now - this is home, this is home," she said. |
| "If the police are protecting me this means that this is my home." | "If the police are protecting me this means that this is my home." |
| District Inspector Ian Roberts from North Wales Police said: "This was disgusting behaviour that was targeted at a woman because of her race. | District Inspector Ian Roberts from North Wales Police said: "This was disgusting behaviour that was targeted at a woman because of her race. |
| "This will not be tolerated in Gwynedd, and we will robustly deal with any incidents of hate crime." | "This will not be tolerated in Gwynedd, and we will robustly deal with any incidents of hate crime." |
| How common are hate crimes in Wales? | How common are hate crimes in Wales? |
| The North Wales Police area is one of two of the force areas in Wales to see a drop in offences with a racial or religious element. | The North Wales Police area is one of two of the force areas in Wales to see a drop in offences with a racial or religious element. |
| In 2023-24, there were 504 incidents reported to North Wales Police, a drop of 7.7% on the previous year. | In 2023-24, there were 504 incidents reported to North Wales Police, a drop of 7.7% on the previous year. |
| There was a 19% drop in offences reported for Dyfed-Powys, but both South Wales and Gwent force areas witnessed increases. | There was a 19% drop in offences reported for Dyfed-Powys, but both South Wales and Gwent force areas witnessed increases. |
| In South Wales, reported offences jumped by 16% for the same year, to 1,481. | In South Wales, reported offences jumped by 16% for the same year, to 1,481. |
| In Gwent, the rise was even more marked, a 20% increase, rising to 674 reported offences across the force area. | In Gwent, the rise was even more marked, a 20% increase, rising to 674 reported offences across the force area. |
| Shakila said she wanted to speak out about her experience, and came from a mixed-race heritage, with a white Scottish grandfather, and she married a white British man. | Shakila said she wanted to speak out about her experience, and came from a mixed-race heritage, with a white Scottish grandfather, and she married a white British man. |
| "It doesn't matter what colour you are. It doesn't matter what you believe in. We just have the same feelings. We have the same blood," she said. | "It doesn't matter what colour you are. It doesn't matter what you believe in. We just have the same feelings. We have the same blood," she said. |
| "There's so much going on in the world right now. | "There's so much going on in the world right now. |
| "We should focus on the important things right now and come together and help each other, you know. Help the next generation, they need to see love." | "We should focus on the important things right now and come together and help each other, you know. Help the next generation, they need to see love." |
| If you have been affected by any issues in this report, you can find further information, advice and support at the BBC Action Line homepage. | If you have been affected by any issues in this report, you can find further information, advice and support at the BBC Action Line homepage. |