LONDON (VINnews) — Members of the Stamford Hill Orthodox Jewish community expressed relief following the sentencing of Tavius Jean Charles, who carried out a sustained campaign of antisemitic threats and vandalism in the area.

A spokesman for Shomrim, the volunteer Jewish security patrol that operates in Stamford Hill, stated: “Stamford Hill’s Orthodox Jewish community can sleep easier with this extremely unpleasant character off our streets.”

Synagogue manager Barry Bard, one of the victims, described Jean Charles as a “danger to society” in a victim impact statement. He said some members of his congregation at Belz Synagogue are “terrified for their lives” following the repeated incidents, including direct death threats shouted outside the synagogue.

Other victims echoed the fear. David Bard told the court he remembered “every single word” of the hateful abuse, while Joel Scher, whose car window was smashed by a rock thrown by Jean Charles, initially believed he was being shot at

The sentencing on Friday at Southwark Crown Court has been viewed locally as a measure of justice in a community that has faced heightened antisemitic tensions in recent months. Shomrim and local residents have long advocated for stronger responses to such incidents, with the group actively involved in community protection and documentation of hate crimes.

Metropolitan Police Detective Chief Superintendent Brittany Clarke said the outcome demonstrates how seriously authorities take antisemitic hate crimes, adding there is “no place for hate in the capital.”

Jean Charles received a restraining order banning him from entering Stamford Hill and contacting victims, providing additional reassurance to the tightly knit Hasidic community, which has been a frequent target of such abuse.