British man tried to murder Muslim woman by driving over her in vicious hate crime

A British man has been convicted of attempted murder for running over a Muslim woman in a hate crime he saw as revenge for Islamic extremist attacks.

A jury found Paul Moore guilty Friday of the 20 September 2017 attack which left 47-year-old Zaynab Hussein with life-changing injuries. Hussein spent almost three months in hospital and is receiving ongoing medical treatment since she has been discharged.

Moore appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on 2 March and was found guilty of attempted murder, attempted grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving following a four day trial. Moore will be sentenced at a later date.

Prosecutors say 21-year-old Moore drove his Volkswagen into Hussein in the central England city of Leicester, then ran her over as she lay on the ground. Hussein suffered fractures to her pelvis, her spine and leg.

Minutes later, Moore tried to drive into a 12-year-old schoolgirl, who wasn't hurt.

After the verdict, Hussein's husband said Moore "wasn't attacking terrorists. He was joining their ranks by doing what they do and attacking an innocent woman."

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Widdowson said: "This was a complex and fast-paced investigation during which officers were responding to multiple calls from the public about a number of incidents involving vehicles in a similar location.

"While officers were working to piece together the circumstances of the incidents, establish the exact chronology, and respond to reports from witnesses, they were simultaneously working to identify a suspect and arrested Moore within three hours of the calls coming in."

The incident has been recorded as a race and religiously motivated hate crime.

DCI Widdowson added: "What we have established since that day is that Moore was driving a white Volkswagen when he drove at the 47-year-old woman in Acer Close and then hit a 12-year-old girl in nearby Butterwick Drive.

"Moore then left the vehicle in Letchworth Road before getting into a red Ford Fiesta which he crashed almost straight away further down the same street.

"These incidents caused understandable concern and anxiety among the local community, particularly as we believe this was an act of hate.

"The force takes any incident of hate crime incredibly seriously and a significant number of resources were involved in the investigation and subsequent conviction of this individual who does not reflect the people who live in our diverse and cohesive communities here in Leicester."