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George Galloway left ‘scared to go out alone’ as street attacker jailed for 16 months George Galloway ‘scared to go out alone’ as street attacker jailed for 16 months
(about 14 hours later)
George Galloway has revealed that he now feels too scared to go anywhere alone – as the man who attacked the Respect MP in a London street while calling him an anti-Semite was jailed for 16 months.George Galloway has revealed that he now feels too scared to go anywhere alone – as the man who attacked the Respect MP in a London street while calling him an anti-Semite was jailed for 16 months.
Drug addict Neil Masterson, 39, left the pro-Palestine MP for Bradford West with cuts and bruises to his head and ribs and requiring hospital treatment after the frenzied assault in Notting Hill in August.Drug addict Neil Masterson, 39, left the pro-Palestine MP for Bradford West with cuts and bruises to his head and ribs and requiring hospital treatment after the frenzied assault in Notting Hill in August.
Masterson, who was wearing a pink T-shirt with an Israeli Defence Force logo when he was arrested nearby, told police he felt “morally justified” in attacking the MP because he was a “Nazi” with a “shameful” attitude towards Jews, Isleworth Crown Court heard.Masterson, who was wearing a pink T-shirt with an Israeli Defence Force logo when he was arrested nearby, told police he felt “morally justified” in attacking the MP because he was a “Nazi” with a “shameful” attitude towards Jews, Isleworth Crown Court heard.
Galloway, the court heard, believes he would have been killed if Masterson, who had “recently undergone a conversion towards Judaism”, had been armed with a knife during their chance meeting.Galloway, the court heard, believes he would have been killed if Masterson, who had “recently undergone a conversion towards Judaism”, had been armed with a knife during their chance meeting.
Masterson, of Kensington, who used to work for the Department for Work and Pensions and as a manager at the BBC, had previously admitted assaulting Mr Galloway and a second charge of common assault against a man who had been posing for a picture with the MP as the attack happened.Masterson, of Kensington, who used to work for the Department for Work and Pensions and as a manager at the BBC, had previously admitted assaulting Mr Galloway and a second charge of common assault against a man who had been posing for a picture with the MP as the attack happened.
  
Judge Aidan Marron QC told the clean-shaven and smartly suited Masterson: “While you are no longer facing a charge of religiously aggravated assault, it would be unreal to ignore that the motivation for this... was your profound hostility to Mr Galloway’s views.”Judge Aidan Marron QC told the clean-shaven and smartly suited Masterson: “While you are no longer facing a charge of religiously aggravated assault, it would be unreal to ignore that the motivation for this... was your profound hostility to Mr Galloway’s views.”
He added that Masterson’s “loathing” of Galloway was manifested by what he did at the start of the assault and said afterwards in interviews.He added that Masterson’s “loathing” of Galloway was manifested by what he did at the start of the assault and said afterwards in interviews.
The court heard that 60-year-old former Labour MP Mr Galloway had been in London on private business when the attack happened at around 7.25pm on Friday 29 August.The court heard that 60-year-old former Labour MP Mr Galloway had been in London on private business when the attack happened at around 7.25pm on Friday 29 August.
He was posing for a photo near his car in Golborne Road with Moroccan doctor Mostafa Maroof and a friend when Masterson approached them “in a rage”, prosecutor Michelle Nelson told the court. She said he mentioned the Holocaust, leading Mr Galloway to fear he was a right-wing extremist.He was posing for a photo near his car in Golborne Road with Moroccan doctor Mostafa Maroof and a friend when Masterson approached them “in a rage”, prosecutor Michelle Nelson told the court. She said he mentioned the Holocaust, leading Mr Galloway to fear he was a right-wing extremist.
The attack on the MP included 10 punches and a “Kung-fu style” kick which did not connect but caused Mr Galloway to fall into the road, where Masterson continued hitting him.The attack on the MP included 10 punches and a “Kung-fu style” kick which did not connect but caused Mr Galloway to fall into the road, where Masterson continued hitting him.
Masterson admitted to police he said: “Anti-semitic little man, I fucking despise you,” during the attack and described Galloway as “a morally and intellectually bankrupt person”.Masterson admitted to police he said: “Anti-semitic little man, I fucking despise you,” during the attack and described Galloway as “a morally and intellectually bankrupt person”.
Mr Galloway welcomed the sentence but questioned the decision to drop a charge of religiously aggravated assault. “If an Asian man wearing a Palestinian T-shirt had attacked a pro-Israeli MP would the sentence have been the same?” he said.Mr Galloway welcomed the sentence but questioned the decision to drop a charge of religiously aggravated assault. “If an Asian man wearing a Palestinian T-shirt had attacked a pro-Israeli MP would the sentence have been the same?” he said.
In a victim impact statement read in court, Mr Galloway described still being in pain from his injuries and how it had left his wife and children in a “constant state of worry”. “I no longer go anywhere alone,” he wrote. “I now need to have someone with me while working.”In a victim impact statement read in court, Mr Galloway described still being in pain from his injuries and how it had left his wife and children in a “constant state of worry”. “I no longer go anywhere alone,” he wrote. “I now need to have someone with me while working.”
The court heard Masterson had been a functioning heroin addict for 25 years but had been “cold turkey” for two weeks at the time of the attack.The court heard Masterson had been a functioning heroin addict for 25 years but had been “cold turkey” for two weeks at the time of the attack.