Man charged after mosque defaced with graffiti

Police said graffiti was painted on to a perimeter fence around the former St Thomas' Church

A man has been charged after a mosque was defaced with graffiti, and a samurai sword was found.

Police said religiously aggravated graffiti was painted on a perimeter around the former St Thomas' Church on Langley Road, Watford, on 1 October.

A 26-year-old from Watford was charged with religiously aggravated criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, and two counts of possession of a knife/bladed article.

Hertfordshire Police said it was one of three incidents of criminal damage reported at mosques in Watford over the weekend.

After the incident at St Thomas's Church, officers said subsequent searches were carried out, and an axe and a Stanley-type knife were seized from a vehicle in Watford, alongside a samurai sword.

The man appeared at Hatfield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, officers said.

Police said they were continuing to investigate both the attack on the former St Thomas' Church, along with two further reports of criminal damage at mosques in Watford.

It said a second incident happened at the Imam Hussein Foundation Centre on North Approach, overnight between Saturday and Sunday and a third incident in the early hours of Sunday at North Watford Jamia Mosque on North Western Avenue.

The force added that religiously aggravated graffiti was spray-painted on the outside of both buildings.

Det Insp Chris Parperi, from Watford's criminal investigation department, said: "I want to reiterate to [the community] that we're continuing our inquiries into both this case and the two further incidents which happened elsewhere in Watford."

Insp Simon Cooper added: "In the wake of the abhorrent attack in Manchester last week, additional patrols were deployed to synagogues, mosques and schools in Hertfordshire.

"We shall continue our increased patrols in the vicinity of all faith and community institutions, particularly during key times of worship. We are closely monitoring any emerging community tensions and will respond robustly to racially or religiously aggravated offending."