Man punched Jewish woman in the face as she pushed baby in pram, court hears

A man accused of assaulting three Jewish women allegedly punched one of them in the face while she was pushing her daughter in a pram, a court heard.

Abdisamad Siad, 33, allegedly targeted the victims - all of whom are Orthodox Jews and suffered minor injuries - on Clapton Common in east London on Monday afternoon.

He appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Wednesday morning charged with three counts of assault by beating.

The first victim reported being "slapped across the face" by a man around 1.30pm, prosecutor Shubhangi Mitra told the court.

He then "moved as though he was going to punch her" before running away, the prosecutor added.

Six minutes later, the defendant is alleged to have punched the second complainant twice in the face without provocation while she was pushing her baby in a pram.

The defendant then punched the third victim "three to four times" before running away, Ms Mitra added.

Siad, of no fixed address, has pleaded not guilty to the three assault charges, with a provisional trial date set for 11 December at Stratford Magistrates' Court.

He has also been charged with a separate offence of grievous bodily harm with intent over an unrelated attack on another woman.

Siad will appear at Snaresbrook Crown Court on 18 November for a plea and trial preparation hearing connected to this charge.

He was remanded into custody at the end of the hearing.

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Jewish security group Shomrim previously shared CCTV footage from the common which showed a man running up to a woman before pausing briefly and then punching her twice.

They detained the suspect before the Met Police were called around 1.40pm that afternoon.

Police patrols have since been increased in the east London area.

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