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A left-wing activist who attacked a white Muslim man she wrongly believed to be a racist during a pro-immigration protest shortly after the Southport stabbings has avoided a prison sentence, sparking allegations of a 'two-tier justice system.'
Caroline Leneghan, a former NHS nurse, snatched an iPhone from Dylan Fontaine and smashed it during a heated confrontation at the Bournemouth demonstration. When Fontaine tried to retrieve the phone, she lunged at him physically.
Leneghan, 43, accused Fontaine—who is actually a Muslim convert supporting asylum seekers—of being a racist and a fascist based solely on his appearance. Her outburst prompted others at the protest to surround him, causing him to fear for his safety.
The demonstration took place in the tense atmosphere following the Southport murders, a period marked by far-right attacks on mosques and asylum seeker accommodations, fueled by false claims that the attacker, Axel Rudakubana, was a Muslim asylum seeker.
Despite denying assault and criminal damage, Leneghan—who displays the Palestinian flag on her Facebook profile—was found guilty at trial.
Caroline Leneghan had earlier been cautioned by magistrates that her actions would be viewed within the broader context of the widespread unrest that followed the murders of three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport last summer.
Despite showing no remorse for her actions, Leneghan avoided jail time and was instead handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. District Judge Orla Austin stated that Leneghan’s 20-week pregnancy was the sole reason she was not immediately imprisoned.
Her lenient sentencing has drawn sharp comparisons with the harsher penalties handed to right-wing demonstrators involved in anti-immigration protests after the Southport incident. Among them was Lucy Connolly, a childminder from Northampton and wife of a Conservative councillor, who received a 31-month prison term for a tweet deemed to incite racial hatred on the night of the Southport murders.
This controversy comes just days after a Home Affairs Select Committee report concluded that there was no evidence of ‘two-tier policing’ in relation to the civil unrest that swept the country following last summer’s Southport murders.
During her hearing at Poole Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that Leneghan attended a pro-immigration rally outside the Roundhouse Hotel in Bournemouth on August 7. The hotel, which accommodates asylum seekers, was believed to be a potential flashpoint for tensions, possibly attracting anti-immigration protesters.
Leneghan told the court she was representing the ‘Dorset Palestine Solidarity Campaign’ and believed there was a “crossover” between Palestinian causes and the struggles faced by asylum seekers.
However, prosecutors said she took it upon herself to police the rally, deciding who belonged and who didn’t. She wrongly identified Dylan Fontaine and his brother Steven as far-right agitators, despite both men being practicing Muslims who had turned up to support asylum seekers.
The court was told that Leneghan’s actions were not only misguided but also dangerous, resulting in an aggressive confrontation that led to physical assault and damage to property.
Victoria Hill, prosecuting, told the court: “The victim attended the protest with his brother and was on the same side of the road as the defendant. Leneghan took issue with their presence, insisting they didn’t belong there and should move to the other side of the demonstration.”
Hill explained that due to Leneghan’s aggressive behaviour and inflammatory remarks, Dylan Fontaine began recording her on his phone—just as he had been filming other parts of the protest. While Mr. Fontaine sustained no physical injuries, his phone was damaged, with its back visibly smashed and cracked.
The court also heard that Leneghan was “somewhat evasive” during her interactions with police and had changed aspects of her appearance, including her clothing, before being questioned.
Steven Fontaine, 29, gave evidence in support of his brother, recounting the incident: “She told us, ‘You don’t belong here, you should be on the other side, you’re racist.’ She was completely frantic—going mad. Then she shouted, ‘They’re racist!’ and suddenly everyone turned and swarmed my brother. I asked her, ‘What makes you think that?’”
Steven Fontaine testified that Leneghan had effectively told them they “weren’t Muslim,” based on their appearance. “She was basically saying, ‘You’re not Muslim, judging by what you’re wearing,’” he said. “There were people in balaclavas, and she wasn’t saying anything to them—it was purely based on how we looked. She decided I didn’t fit the image of a ‘typical’ Muslim.”
He explained that Leneghan had been “loitering” near them for some time, prompting his younger brother Dylan, 28, to begin filming her due to the rising hostility.
“Tensions were high,” Steven told the court. “I was being shouted at and called a racist. Someone grabbed me, others were pulling at me—it was chaos. Thankfully, there were a few people there who knew me and managed to calm things down. If I hadn’t known anyone, it could’ve ended much worse.”
Courtroom footage played during the trial captured Leneghan confronting Dylan Fontaine, saying: “You clearly don’t belong here,” “You’re looking very suspicious,” and “I don’t think you’re one of us.” Dylan responded by asking, “Why are you assuming my beliefs?” to which Leneghan replied, “Because I can tell from looking at you—the clothes, for a start.”
At the time, Mr. Fontaine was dressed in grey shorts, a black top, and a cap—clothing Leneghan evidently used as the basis for her assumptions.
In a second video shown to the court, Caroline Leneghan is heard escalating the confrontation by shouting, "He's a fascist, you both are... Why don't you go back over there?" while pointing toward a small group on the opposite side of the street, believed to be far-right protesters.
Moments later, Leneghan snatched Dylan Fontaine’s iPhone from him and hurled it to the ground, smashing the device. When Fontaine tried to retrieve it, she attempted to block him and “lunged” at him repeatedly before yelling, “He’s a racist, get him!”—words that prompted others to swarm around him.
After the incident, Leneghan refused to give police her details and attempted to evade officers by changing her clothing. She eventually complied and provided her information.
Although Mr. Fontaine was not physically harmed, he told the court the ordeal left him feeling “sick.” He initially chose not to file a formal complaint but later changed his mind after reflecting on what had occurred.
In her defense, Leneghan claimed that the Fontaine brothers “stood out” and appeared suspicious because they were keeping to themselves at the protest.
“They didn’t look like they were trying to be part of our group,” Caroline Leneghan told the court, justifying her actions based on the Fontaine brothers’ appearance and demeanor.
Her defence barrister, Ewa Russell, acknowledged the seriousness of the incident, stating: “Without a shadow of a doubt, the matter is aggravated by the circumstances. However, given her personal situation, this should not warrant a custodial sentence.” Russell added that Leneghan expressed some regret, saying that in hindsight, she should have simply walked away.
In delivering the sentence, District Judge Orla Austin strongly condemned Leneghan’s conduct: “This was a disgraceful incident committed in the midst of national turmoil. You called the victims fascists and racists based solely on how they looked, and your actions endangered Mr Fontaine by inciting others to turn on him. I don’t accept that you’ve shown any genuine remorse or fully grasped the seriousness of your actions.”
The judge confirmed the offence merited the maximum sentence of 26 weeks in prison. However, she cited Leneghan’s 20-week pregnancy—specifically concerns around pre-eclampsia—as a mitigating factor and opted to suspend the sentence for two years.
As part of the sentence, Leneghan is now prohibited from attending any protests, demonstrations, or assembled gatherings for the same two-year period. She was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to Mr Fontaine, along with £200 in court costs and a £154 victim surcharge.
