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Man who delivered anti-Muslim tirade sentenced to 10 months supervision

11:49 am on 31 July 2019

A man who delivered an anti-Muslim tirade to worshippers at the Al Noor Mosque has been sentenced in the Christchurch District Court to 10 months supervision.

Daniel Nicholas Tuapawa outside court in Christchurch on 12 April this year Photo: RNZ / Conan Young

Daniel Nicholas Tuapawa pleaded guilty to behaving in an insulting manner likely to cause violence when he unleashed his verbal assault less than a month after the 15 March mosque shootings.

In April, the 33-year-old asked to meet those he accused of being terrorists, so he could apologise.

Outside court today he said he still planned to do this.

He claimed to have no memory of the incident and said he had post-traumatic stress disorder.

In court today Judge Tony Couch said the abuse hurled at worshippers would have been distressing at any time, but coming less than a month after the shootings made it even worse.

He was confident today's sentence would be accepted by the Muslim community as a faith which embraced forgiveness.