A Muslim who refused to remove her niqab in court has arrived for her trial where she is accused of threatening a Mosque caretaker who allowed women without veils to enter.
Rebekah Dawson, 22, texted her friend saying: 'I'm gonu beat dat man up' just four days before Finsbury Park Mosque worker Daudi Yusuf was allegedly attacked, a jury was told.
Texts allegedly showing her intentions were sent by free internet message service, WhatsApp, four days before an alleged incident occurred on June 23 last year.
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On trial: Rebekah Dawson, 22, arrives at Blackfriars Crown Court, where she has so far refused to remove her veil during her intimidation trial
Dawson told her friend Nadia 'Dat guy frm d mosque dat insulted niqab' and another message said 'I'm gonu beat dat man up' referring to Mr Yusuf, the court heard.
Mr Yusuf had taken three Portuguese tourists to view the inside of the mosque.
Two members of the party were women who had not covered their heads and Dawson took offence, it was said.
Six days later Dawson went to Mr Yusuf's office and demanded to know why he had allowed non-Muslims into the mosque.
She was wearing a niqab and the court heard that she became offended when Mr Yusuf asked why she was hiding when he was speaking to her.
She then ran off.
She was so upset with Mr Yusuf that and returned to the mosque on 23 June with her brother Matthias Dawson, 32, the court heard.
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Decision: The Muslim woman has been told she will have to lift her veil if she wants to give evidence
CCTV footage played at the trial shows the two defendants entering the mosque together at around 8.45pm and Dawson entering My Yusuf's office alone.
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Allegations: Dawson allegedly threatened Daudi Yusuf, the caretaker of the Finsbury Park Mosque (pictured), because he let tourists inside
Moments later, Matthias Dawson followed her in to the office and the pair leave at around 8:49pm heading in different directions.
This week Miss Dawson became the first defendant to wear the covering at court after a judge ruled ‘freedom of religious expression’ should be recognised.
District Judge Peter Murphy ruled: ‘The courts must respect and protect religious rights as far as that can possibly be done.
‘But in my view, it is necessary to the working of the crown court in a democratic society for the court, not the defendant to control the conduct of judicial proceedings.’
Dawson argued that forcing her to remove the veil to give evidence violated her right to a fair trial under the European Convention on Human Rights.
But Judge Murphy rejected the application, saying that jurors being unable to see her was contrary to the principle of open justice which overrides religious belief.
He invited the defendant to remove the garment, but after a brief adjournment Dawson returned to court still wearing her niqab.
Judge Murphy told jurors: ‘I am aware some people have certain feelings about it [the niqab], but if you have any feelings you must put them aside completely... She is perfectly entitled in this country to dress as she wishes.’
Dawson, of Hackney, east London, and her brother Matthias Dawson, of Sydenham, south-east London, deny a single charge of witness intimidation.
The trial continues.
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