The case against a man accused of performing a Nazi salute outside the JC’s offices has been thrown out due to a lack of evidence.
Jamie Jackson, 34, was tried in his absence at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on Thursday after denying two counts related to an incident on May 23.
Mr Jackson, of Steve Biko Court in Kensal Green, North West London, was accused of performing the gesture and shouting “F**king Jews” as he drove towards the newspaper’s premises.
The court heard the testimony of Maksim Duhin, a former JC security officer, as well as that of two police officers and a police and community support officer.
Each witness reported that the offender was a white man aged between 30 and 40, who had worn a black jacket, blue jeans, white trainers and a black motorcycle helmet.
Prosecutor Maria Jabati argued that descriptions of what the offender was wearing matched items seized from Mr Jackson when he was arrested on June 2.
Still images taken from CCTV footage were also shown to the court.
Mr Duhin said the incident had left him “shocked, offended and disgusted”.
He added: “It was very clear he was doing a Nazi salute. I didn’t expect anything like that to happen.
“Most of my friends are Jewish. I worked for the Jewish Chronicle for a long time. Most of the people who also work at the Jewish Chronicle are Jewish.”
But District Judge Denis Brennan dismissed the case, saying that there was “no evidence connecting Mr Jackson with the rider of the motorcycle on May 23”, describing it as “a lacuna” in the prosecution’s case.
He said: “On the evidence alone I determine whether there is a case to answer. Not on my instinct, not on my feelings, but on evidence.
“The motorcyclist in the description of witnesses and in CCTV stills is wearing generic clothing.
“The vast majority of people on motorcycles wear that clothing. There is nothing distinctive about it.
“It is simply insufficient evidence to call for a case to answer. Therefore I dismiss the case at this stage.
“Whoever it was has committed a serious offence. I just don’t have the evidence that it’s this defendant.”
The court heard that Mr Jackson did not attend his trial due to ill health, claiming to have suffered a bout of post-sepsis syndrome.
