A man who daubed racist graffiti on a mosque in Fulwood has been spared jail after a judge heard he was suffering mental health problems.
AdvertisementGavin Edgehill, 47, was arrested after offensive messages were found on the Masij-e-Salaam mosque in Watling Street Road over the weekend of April 21-22.
Other racist vandalism was found on an NHS sign nearby and a number of cars were damaged.
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Edgehill, of Lower Bank Road, Fulwood, pleaded guilty to five counts of racially aggravated criminal damage, one offence of racially aggravated public order and a further five counts of criminal damage.
Preston Magistrates’ Court heard he used racist and homophobic language to police officers when he was arrested.
He has been in custody since his arrest but District Judge Alexandra Simmonds said it appeared Edgehill was suffering a mental health episode when he committed the offences.
She handed him a 12 month community order with mental health requirement and made an order banning him from going within 50m of the mosque for three months.