Cont issues - ‘Punish a Muslim day’ letters

David Parnham, 35, will serve 12 years and six months in prison after admitting to police that he sent the racist and Islamophobic letters to Muslim communities across the UK as well as to the Queen, the prime minister and politicians.

Parnham, who called himself the "Muslim slayer", was accused of 14 offences that spanned two years that include soliciting murder, noxious substance hoaxes, encouraging crime, bomb threats and sending letters with the intention of causing widespread distress.

The Old Bailey in London was told that Parnham began sending these letters to Islamic centres and mosques in 2007 across the UK, saying that "you are going to be slaughtered very soon" and signing his name as the "Muslim slayer."

In 2016, the white supremacist sent a hoax letter containing white powder to former Prime Minister David Cameron with the message "Allah is great". Four months later, Parnham sent out more letters containing white powder to the Queen, the then home secretary Theresa May.

According to police, only 11 letters were delivered with seven being intercepted at a depot. After this interception, police launched an investigation.

In the last three years there has been a sharp rise in Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crime in the UK, with 2017 having a record number of attacks against Muslims. In 2018 there were over 1,200 reports of Islamophobic attacks, a 26% surge from the previous year.

Islamophobic incidents have risen significantly due to a number of factors such as Brexit and the proliferation of far-right groups manipulating peoples' misconceptions on immigration and faith.