Man charged over mosque air rifle discharge

A man has been charged after an air rifle was discharged outside a mosque in York.

Police were alerted by a member of the York Mosque and Islamic Centre who heard what was described as "shooting" outside the building on Bull Lane in the early hours of Thursday.

A 44-year-old man has been charged with possessing a loaded air weapon - a .22 air rifle - in a public place, North Yorkshire Police said.

The force added that following "extensive inquiries and searches" there was no evidence to suggest that firing of the rifle "was motivated by anything ideological, hate-related, or specifically targeted against the Muslim community in York".

The man has been released on bail and is due to appear at York Magistrates' Court on 21 September.

Supt Ed Haywood-Noble, senior operational commander for York and Selby, said: "This has been a worrying time for everyone connected to York Mosque and all our communities in York.

"In relation to the firing of the air rifle, our investigation has not identified an intention to cause injuries or distress to people."

The officer said high-visibility patrols would continue over the coming days "to provide reassurance for everyone in the city".

The force is still appealing for witnesses or anyone with information, CCTV or dashcam footage to get in touch.

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