Self-confessed 'Jew hater' locked up after sending anti-Semitic letters to Lord Alan Sugar

16 February 2022, 18:24 | Updated: 16 February 2022, 18:27

A 70-year-old man has been jailed after sending threatening anti-Semitic letters saying he would "like to murder all Jews in Britain", to Lord Alan Sugar.

Patrick Gomes, aged 70, denied sending the letters but was found guilty of religiously aggravated harassment, putting those targeted in fear of violence.

He was jailed for three years and six months at Chelmsford Crown Court on Wednesday and was handed an indefinite restraining order not to contact Lord Sugar.

Police described the letters as containing "abusive, threatening and offensive language" that were all deeply derogatory towards the Jewish faith.

Adam Pearson, prosecuting, said that one of the letters said there was "no anti-Semitic element within the Labour Party" then "went on to say the author of the letter was a Jew hater".

One passage said: "I would round all of you up and put you into camps ready for deportation."

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Another referred to "shoving your screaming head into a hot oven - we call it baking Jewish bread".

One letter was signed "the Jew hater".

A search of Gomes property revealed further letters had been written and were waiting to be sent.

Mr Pearson told the court that Lord Sugar said he "had been made to feel extremely scared and upset, he hadn't told his family as he knew how scared and upset it would make them".

The businessman said in a statement read in court: "The whole incident has shaken me up and I'm now always looking over my shoulder in case someone is close to me and about to attack me or my family."

Following Gomes’s conviction, Lord Sugar added: "I would like to pass on my sincere gratitude to the police for their assistance in this case.

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"I have to be honest, I was reluctant to pass this matter on to the police as they are already stretched and have enough on their plates dealing with serious crimes.

"I would like to thank them sincerely for helping to shine a light on the fact that this type of behaviour is simply not acceptable and that racism or any form of discrimination is simply not acceptable."

The letters, with the address typed and stuck to the front, were opened by The Apprentice star's assistant at his company and referred to Essex police between October and December 2018.

Gomes was arrested at his home in Lyttelton Road, Leyton, east London, on March 19 2019 after his DNA and fingerprints were found on one of the letters.

During sentencing on Wednesday, Judge Timothy Walker said he had received a handwritten letter from the defendant in which there was "no mention of apology towards Lord Sugar, there's no mention of remorse".

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Stating the letters were "frightening and deeply offensive to Lord Sugar", adding: "Society will not tolerate behaviour such as yours".

Commenting after the sentencing, Investigating officer PC Marc Arnold, of Epping Forest’s Community Policing Team, said: "Throughout the investigation and despite all of the evidence against him, Gomes has denied his involvement.

"At no point has he shown remorse for his actions and I’m glad that he’s now been made to answer for his crimes.

"If something like this happens to you, please report it and if you witness it, please speak up.

"Racism or discrimination of any kind should never be tolerated and those that think it’s acceptable need to be held accountable."