Liverpool – A well-known music promoter has admitted making antisemitic comments towards a Jewish Labour MP during a drunken tirade at a star-studded awards ceremony.
Luciana Berger was shocked by Philip Hayes’ racially abusive rant at the Liverpool Music Awards last year.
Hayes, who has a history of alcohol abuse, suggested that the MP was Israeli rather than British, and later shouted, ‘I fucking hate Jewish people’ in her direction.
Although he contacted her via Facebook to apologise the next day, magistrates fined him £175 after he pleaded guilty to two charges of racially aggravated disorder.
Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard that Hayes, 53, and Ms Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree, were both guests at the VIP event on November 17, which was attended by the likes of Spice Girl Mel C and X-Factor stars Craig Colton and Rebecca Ferguson.
They started discussing the Israel-Palestine conflict, and a drunk Hayes made comments which upset and offended the 31-year-old politician.
During Mr Hayes and Miss Berger’s conversation about Gaza, Mr Hayes made a number of remarks about Jewish people,’ prosecutor Amanda Haycock said.
‘He said, “All Jewish people have money,” and began talking about a Rolls Royce.’
The music mogul referred to a prominent local solicitor as a ‘fucking Jewish t***’, and accused Ms Berger of regarding Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as her national leader.
