Mohammed Bashir (26), of Monmouth Street, Oldham, uploaded a CCTV image of a man stealing from Werneth’s Jamia Masjid Mosque offering £1,000 for someone to behead him.
Bashir had been smoking cannabis with his friends in January while discussing a robbery at his mosque the day before. On his return home he posted the message on personal sales site Gumtree. A member of the public saw the post and contacted police.
Bashir pleaded guilty at Oldham Magistrates’ Court early last month to sending a menacing message. Since then his family and the mosque has condemned his action and he has been suspended from one of his two jobs.
Naila Akhtar, defending Bashir, told Oldham magistrates last Tuesday the post had been made in a moment of stupidity, influenced by his friends and by smoking cannabis. He tried to remove the post but saw it had already been removed.
Magistrates handed Bashir a 12-month community order with 80 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay £145 in costs and charges.
