Birmingham man Ehsan Hussain jailed for using innocent man's identity to stir racial hatred

-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


A Birmingham man has been jailed for his role in contributing to racial unrest that swept across the country in August. Yardley man Ehsan Hussain has been put behind bars for using the identity of an innocent man to fuel racial hatred in Birmingham.

West Midlands Police said Hussain, 25, used the messaging platform Telegram to spread "extremely harmful" material using a fake name last month, which included a call for disorder in Alum Rock and Bordesley Green. The force confirmed the innocent member of the public whose name was used is being supported by specialist officers after he was "wrongly identified" as being the source of the messages.

Hussain, of Coventry Road, admitted the offence at an earlier hearing and was sentenced today, Wednesday September 18 at Birmingham Crown Court. Following sentencing, Chief superintendent Richard North of Birmingham Police praised members of the public who flagged Hussain's posts to officers at a "crucial" time.

READ MORE: Birmingham man admits using identity of innocent man to stir up racial hatred during August riots

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West Midlands Police confirmed Hussain was jailed after publishing written material to stir up racial hatred during last month’s unrest following an investigation into offensive messages. A West Midlands Police spokesperson said: "Ehsan Hussain, aged 25 of Coventry Road, Yardley, admitted the offence at an earlier hearing and was sentenced to two years and four months at Birmingham Crown Court today (18 Sept).

Ehsan Hussain used Telegram to spread hateful messaging -Credit:
Ehsan Hussain used Telegram to spread hateful messaging -Credit:

"Hussain used a fake name belonging to an innocent member of the public to post numerous and vile messages on Telegram in a chat group containing over 12,000 members during the violent disorder across the UK in August.

"Screenshots of the posts were captured which called for disorder in Alum Rock and Bordesley Green in Birmingham and incited racial violence. We were made aware that a member of the public who is unrelated to Hussain was wrongly identified on social media as being the source of the messages.

"That man has been spoken to by officers and is being supported."

Chief Superintendent Richard North, from Birmingham Police added: “This has been an excellent but complex investigation.

“We would like to thank members of the public for alerting us to these posts which was crucial at a time when we were seeing lots of rumour, speculation and misinformation online; we know this can be extremely harmful to all of our communities.

“We do not tolerate violence in our towns and cities, or tolerate those who use social media to encourage such violence.”