A Vaughan man has been sentenced to 12 months in custody followed by two years of probation after he was found guilty of assaulting people as they walked home from a synagogue last January.
York Regional Police said they responded to calls for a suspected hate-motivated attack targeting four Jewish adults on Jan. 6, 2024, at around 1:45 p.m.
“The victims reported they were walking home from a synagogue in the area of Bathurst Street and Flamingo Road when they were approached by a suspect on an electric bicycle,” a police news release explained.
“An argument ensued, during which time the suspect spat at the victims and made anti-Semitic comments before riding away.”
Officers said a judge found Kenneth Jeewan Gobin, 36, of Vaughan, guilty of two counts of assault and one count of breach of probation on Monday.
The statement said the court heard numerous victim and community impact statements. The judge in the case sentenced Gobin to 12 months in custody and two years of probation.
“York Regional Police takes these matters seriously and is reminding the community we will not tolerate any form of hate crime,” the release added.
“All reports of hate crime or hate/bias incidents will be investigated thoroughly.”
