A Cornish singer and radio host who pleaded guilty to spreading racial hatred against Jews has been told by a UK judge that he may face prison time.
Graham Hart, 69, of Penponds Cornwall entered a guilty plea on Monday at Truro Crown Court in relation to eight counts of “producing a program in service with intent or likely to stir up racial hatred,” BBC News reported.
The charges stem from comments Hart made between 2016 and 2020 which were described as “some of the most extreme hatred towards Jews that we have ever encountered” by the Campaign Against Antisemitism, according to the Algemeiner.
“It is vital that the Jewish community is protected from this man, and we hope that the sentence will also send a message to like-minded people that hate towards British Jews will not be tolerated,” Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Stephen Silverman said.
According to the Jewish News, Hart released a Holocaust denial song “Hoax Train” to the tune of “Love Train.”
Hart’s music was subsequently banned by the Cornish Pirates rugby team in March 2019 after he was found to have posted a song on Youtube that was accused of being anti-Semitic.
Hart had been previously charged with five offences under the Public Order Act of 1986 after reports from the Campaign Against Antisemitism led to an investigation by Devon and Cornwall Police.
Judge Robert Linford told Hart that he "should anticipate an immediate sentence of imprisonment" when he returned for sentencing in August.
Mary McCarthy, his lawyer, said that Hart had been "exhibiting signs of being quite unwell for a number of years.”
She added, "He accepts racial hatred was likely to be stirred up but this was effectively him mouthing off rather than setting to bring about any particular outcome."
Hart was released on bail with the stipulation that he not use the internet. Psychiatric reports are being prepared for his sentencing, reported Cornwall Live.