Gloucester mosque arson attack: Two men jailed
Two men have been jailed for an arson attack on a mosque in Gloucester.
Petrol was poured around the door of the Masjid-E-Noor mosque on Ryecroft Street and set on fire in June.
Ashley Juggins, 20, and Clive Ceronne, 37, previously admitted arson with reckless endangerment to life.
Juggins, of Brooklyn Road, Cheltenham was sentenced to 42 months in prison, while Ceronne, of Redwood Close, Gloucester was jailed for 54 months at Gloucester Crown Court.
The court was told the damage to the mosque had been minimal but that was due "more [to] luck than judgement".
Juggins had been recruited into the English Defence League (EDL) four years ago by Ceronne and officers had found EDL leaflets in Ceronne's flat.
Sentencing Ceronne, Judge Jamie Tabor QC said he was "in no doubt that he had a hatred of the followers of Islam"
"Such extremist views destabilise the community, breed mistrust and destroy years of bridge-building".
Addressing Juggins, Judge Tabor said he had been "equally responsible" for the attack which was "premeditated and motivated by racial aggravation".
Speaking outside court, Gloucester's deputy mayor, councillor Said Hasdot, said prompted fear in the community after the attack but this had calmed down and people had moved on.
"That's what you have to do, you can't dwell on the past and what has happened has happened," he added.
The attack happened days after an open day was held at the mosque to welcome local people.