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Reality TV star called granddaughter of holocaust survivor 'a disease' court hears
Real housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward is on trial for racially aggravated harassment
March 16, 2022 14:47
Real housewives of Cheshire star Dawn Ward is on trial for racially aggravated harassment
March 16, 2022 14:47A Northern socialite is in court after being accused of shouting antisemitic abuse at two Jewish men and one woman before physically attacking one of the men.
The 48-year-old former cast member of ITV reality show The Real Housewives of Cheshire is standing trial at Inner London Crown Court accused of racially aggravated intentional harassment and possession of cocaine. She denies both charges.
Ward is accused of shouting racist statements at Jewish brothers Jake and Sam Jacobs, who were waiting for a delayed train at Euston. The court heard that Ward had allegedly been 'drinking heavily' before the incident where she allegedly shouted:"You Jewish c***. Why are you people always complaining? You fat p***k."
A third victim, Samantha Eisner, who's grandfather is an Auschwitz survivor gave evidence and said: "We didn't have much of a response, we were shocked, we were upset, I was really really upset by the whole thing.
'My grandpa was in Auschwitz, he survived Auschwitz, and you think at this time that it's stopped, but it's still going on.
'I think we were all in shock, it was awful, it was the last thing you expect to happen, we were really really shocked.
'She seemed to be, perhaps on drugs, or drunk alcohol, or something.
'Mrs Ward kept on saying "I'm not a racist, I'm not a racist.
Sam Jacobs, one of the Jewish brothers told the court: "We were inquiring about the trains being delayed and, out of nowhere, a woman came up to us from behind.
"A random person, no idea who this person is.
"She look at all three of us and said: 'Why do you lot always complain?'"
The trio were confused by the question, so Jake Jacobs asked Mrs Ward what she meant.
Sam said: 'She said: "Shut up, you Jewish c***."
He said she was 'hurling abuse, a lot of words coming through towards Samantha.
'She said: "Shut up, you f**king disease.'
Gregory Wedge, prosecuting, told the court: "she was we now know was referring to their Jewish faith. They pretty much ignored it, but the altercation became violent, she became violent.
“During this argument or heated conversation, she slaps Jake Jacobs across the face. Both of them were upset by this incident and called the police and they subsequently arrested Mrs Ward.”
The reality star was subsequently found to have cocaine in a cigarette packet, the court heard.
Mrs. Ward said that the conversation was not as described and was a friendly encounter with the two brothers. She also said that she had not slapped Mr. Jacobs and any physical contact was a "playful tap on the face." She also denies that her comments were racially motivated.
Mr Jacobs told the court that the incident had left him "really sad", telling the court: "I couldn’t believe in this current climate; I was naïve to think it doesn’t happen.
“But when it happens to you it really affected me for a long period of time. I was confused about this, there was nothing at all it was completely unprovoked, there was nothing said, we just wanted to go home.”