A HUSBAND and wife were victims of a racially aggravated attack while shopping with their children in Tesco.

Daniel Wray harassed, swore and shouted anti-Islamic statements to Sama Al-Sultan around the Highwoods store, Colchester Magistrates’ heard yesterday.

He pushed Mrs Al-Sultan’s husband Nowah Al-Hafidh into a fridge and grabbed him around the neck.

The court heard the couple were shopping when Wray

said he did not like headscarves as he was standing behind them.

Wray then started to follow Mrs Al-Sultan and kept swearing at her about her Muslim faith.

He then started saying anti-Islamic statements to the couple and threatened to “slap the Prophet Mohammed” - the founder of Islam. Wayne Ablett, prosecuting, said Mr Al-Hafidh told Wray to stop swearing, but he slammed the dad-of-two into a fridge and put his hands around his neck.

He said: “Mrs Al-Sultan started screaming and just closed her eyes as she thought he was going to kill her husband.

“A neighbour they were shopping with came running

over and said ‘Let’s call the police’.”

Another man ran over and pushed Wray off Mr Al-Hafidh. The police arrived 20 minutes later.

Mr Ablett read a statement from Mrs Al-Sultan to the court.

She said: “The man felt he had gone too far and ran towards the exit of the store.

“I was distraught and crying. A staff member came over to support me as I was shaking.

“My children were scared because they saw their father being attacked.

“This attack has affected my husband’s wellbeing.”

Wray, 28, of Dickson Road, Colchester, admitted the charges of racially or religiously aggravated intentional harassment and common assault.

Peter Young, mitigating, said: “He did behave wrongly and he is disappointed in himself.

“He told me he wanted to apologise profusely to the victims.”

Wray was given a six-month prison sentence suspended for a year.

He was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation, complete 120 hours of unpaid work and carry out a 21-day rehabilitation activity requirement.