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Joshua Bonehill-Paine faces trial for alleged antisemitic abuse of Jewish MP Luciana Berger

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An alleged antisemite has today denied racially abusing a Jewish Labour MP in a string of “defamatory and insulting” posts online.

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, 23, is accused of posting five abusive articles attacking the Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger.

He is charged with racially aggravated harassment relating to material that is said to have appeared on his websites between October 27, 2014, and January 24, 2015.

Titles of the articles included “Racist anti-white Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger exposed”, “Is the Labour party a Jewish party”, and “The Legacy of Operation Filthy Jew Bitch”.

Other postings appeared under the headings “ZOG attacks Daily Stormer in retaliation to successful Berger campaign” and “Joshua Bonehill: on the eve of the battle”.

The charge states that he “demonstrated towards Luciana Berger hostility based on her membership or perceived membership of a particular racial group, namely Jews”.

Bearded Bonehill-Paine appeared by video-link at the Old Bailey on Tuesday from Belmarsh prison wearing a maroon T-shirt.

He spoke only to confirm his name and that he could hear proceedings before the single charge of racially aggravated harassment was read out by the court clerk.

Asked for his plea, the defendant replied: “I am not guilty.”

Nicholas Hilliard QC, the Recorder of London, said Bonehill-Paine faces a two-day trial on December 5.

Bonehill-Paine, of no fixed address but originally from Yeovil, was remanded in custody.

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