United Kingdom / Central Criminal Court (Crown Court)/ Judgement / The Queen v. Pavlo Lapshyn

Country

United Kingdom

Title

United Kingdom / Central Criminal Court (Crown Court)/ Judgement / The Queen v. Pavlo Lapshyn

View full Case

Year

2013

Decision/ruling/judgment date

Friday, October 25, 2013

Incident(s) concerned/related

Violence
Violence
Incitement to violence or hatred
Property offence

Related Bias motivation

Religion

Groups affected

Muslims

Court/Body type

National Court

Court/Body

The Central Criminal Court (Crown Court)

Key facts of the case

Pavlo Lapshyn, a 24 year old Ukrainian engineering student on a working visa, was sentenced to minimum 40 years in prison for a murder and racially aggravated crimes. Just days after he arrived in the United Kingdom he stabbed Mohammed Saleem, 81, to death. He had also been planning a series of explosions at mosques in the United Kingdom. Within a period of less than two months he planted and detonated three improvised explosive devices in the vicinity of three mosques in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Tipton.

Main reasoning/argumentation

The Court found that the accused
was "acting alone and motivated by his own extreme and appalling prejudices." Therefore, the murder wasn't committed as part of a series of terrorist acts and it does not stand for a lifetime sentence.

Is the case related to the application of the Framework Decision on Racism and Xenophobia, the Racial Equality Directive?

Key issues (concepts, interpretations) clarified by the case

The key issue was whether the murder was part of a series of terrorist acts alongside detonations close to several mosques or it was borne out of personal prejudices and extremist views.

Results (sanctions, outcome) and key consequences or implications of the case

Murder: Life imprisonment with a minimum period of 40 years before eligibility for parole.
Causing an explosion with intent to endanger life: 12 years' imprisonment (concurrent);
Engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts: 12 years' imprisonment (concurrent).
An order was made for the forfeiture and destruction of all the explosive ingredients and paraphernalia, and for the forfeiture of £2,000 of the cash to be used for the benefit of the West Midlands Police and for the community. There was also a Notification Order for 30 years.

Key quotation in original language and its unofficial translation into English with reference details

"You clearly hold extreme right wing white supremacist views, and you were motivated to commit the offences by religious and racial hatred in the hope that you would ignite racial conflict and cause Muslims to leave the area where you were living. Such views, hatreds and motivation are abhorrent to all right thinking people, and have no place whatsoever in our multi-faith and multi-cultural society."

DISCLAIMERThe information presented here is collected under contract by the FRA's research network FRANET. The information and views contained do not necessarily reflect the views or the official position of the FRA.