Wednesday 4 July 2012

Celebrated Portrait Photographer Accused Of Race-Hate Attack


A National Portrait Gallery photographer - who has worked with a string of famous politicians and celebrities - branded a muslim family "suicide bombers" during a race-hate attack on a pregnant hajib-wearing mum in a supermarket check-out row, a court heard today.


Celebrated portrait photographer Cinnamon Heathcote Drury, 41, also called the family "terrorists" during the confrontation at a busy West London Tesco's before pushing the mum-of-three, who was due to give birth in three months, to the floor, the jury were told.


She has eleven permanent portraits in the gallery's collection, including London mayor Boris Johnson and Newsnight's Jeremy Paxman, and has worked with celebs such as actor Terence Stamp.


Ironically the row began when Heathcote Drury (pictured) offered to help the woman unload her shopping trolley after the complainant's husband said he was too busy looking after their children.


"You took objection to that inequality didn't you?" prosecutor Miss Nermine Abdel Sayed asked the defendant at Isleworth Crown Court. "Coupled with the woman wearing full islamic dress you waded in and instigated the whole incident."


"When your offer of help was rejected you became more confrontational and you very quickly lost control and were shouting at them," suggested the prosecutor.


"Your tone was aggressive and you used the words 'suicide bomber' and 'terrorist' and told them: 'I am a British citizen. I don't know where you are from.


"You went to the woman and pushed her."


The court also heard Heathcote Drury told the family: "You're probably claiming jobseeker's" but she denied this and the allegation of using any racist language.


"Many of those words were made up, they have misheard it for their purpose," insisted the tearful defendant. "I am the only one who was assaulted. I am the only one with injuries."


Heathcote Drury made an assault complaint to police, claiming she was tripped, kicked and punched by the wife, but this was not pursued by the investigating officers.


"You played the victim in order to get out of trouble, trying to direct attention onto them and away from you," suggested Miss Abdel Sayed.


When arrested at the Warwick Road store in Kensington Heathcote Drury replied: "Unbelievable" and told officers: "This is absolutely incorrect. I was the one who was verbally abused then assaulted."


She told the jury trouble began between herself and the husband when she offered to help the couple unload their trolley. "I told him that is what feminism is all about, women helping women, and he told me to 'get lost.'


"I said we live in a society in Great Britain where rights are equal and if you need help you can ask for it and she said: 'Mind your own business.'


"The husband came over and said: 'You f*** off' then came over again and I thought he was going to jab me with something in his hand."


A security guard broke up the row, but the prosecution say Heathcote Drury then approached the complainant and pushed her to the floor.


However, she claims she was tripped by the woman as she tried to get away from the row. "I stumbled very badly forward and I felt a shooting pain in my left shin.


"The woman was looking at me an smiling. She had wished me to fall flat on my face to humiliate me.


"She took a step forward and took a swipe at my head with her right fist and got me on my right cheek."


Heathcote Drury, of Holland Road, West Kensington has pleaded not guilty to the racially aggravated assault of Mounia Hamoumi on November 30, last year.


The trial continues…………

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