Pensioner, 77, told a mother in a hijab: 'You look like you're about to bomb the place' as she shopped with two of her children at Sainsbury's

Barbara Blauvelt, 77, convicted of racially abusing Ritha Ahmed
Pensioner told the mother she 'looked like she would bomb' Sainsbury's
Ms Ahmed was with two of her children at Bexhill shop and wearing hijab
Blauvelt given conditional discharge and ordered to pay £620 court costs

Published: 06:15 EST, 29 April 2016 | Updated: 09:31 EST, 29 April 2016

A pensioner told a mother wearing a hijab outside a supermarket 'you look like you're about to bomb the place'.

Barbara Anne Blauvelt, 77, also told Ritha Ahmed that women in Britain 'don't cover up', a court heard.

Ms Ahmed was with two of her children when she was racially abused by Blauvelt outside Sainsbury's in Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex.

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Ritha Ahmed was racially abused by Barbara Anne Blauvelt, outside Sainsbury's, pictured, in Bexhill

Police were called and Ms Ahmed said it was the second time she had been abused by Blauvelt after an incident outside a doctors' surgery last September.

Blauvelt, of Pinewoods, Bexhill, was convicted at Eastbourne Magistrates' Court of two charges of religiously aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress, Sussex Police said.

Following the case, Ms Ahmed said: 'I was born and brought up in Bexhill and I have never come across anything like this.

'I felt I needed to take this further to avoid further verbal abuse on women who choose to dress differently, regardless of whether it is a hijab or a habit.

Blauvelt, 77, was convicted at Eastbourne Magistrates Court, pictured, and given a conditional discharge

'Everyone should be able to dress as they please and not have to face ge tting attacked by anyone.'

Praising the police, she urged hate-crime victims to come forward to report abuse.

She added: 'I am very proud of being a British citizen as we are a diverse country and, as the saying goes, 'the beauty of the world lies in the diversity of the people'.'

Blauvelt was handed a 12-month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £620 costs and a £15 victim surcharge on April 21, a police spokesman added.

Sergeant Peter Allan, of Sussex Police, said: 'No-one should be targeted in such a personal and public way because of the way they dress.'