A man accused of calling an Ipswich woman a “Muslim terrorist” and pulling her hijab away from her face has been cleared by a jury.

Before Ipswich Crown Court was Bilal Icli, 36, of Robeck Road, Ipswich, who denied racially aggravated common assault on June 13 last year.

During his trial it was alleged that he pulled his car up alongside the mother-of-four as she was walking along Robeck Road and got out of the vehicle and walked towards her.

He looked angry and allegedly started shouting and swearing at her, said Joanne Eley, prosecuting.

Icli had complained about the woman’s husband coughing in the garden and had allegedly pulled her hijab with one hand away from her before allegedly calling her a “Muslim terrorist”.

Icli claimed the alleged victim’s husband had been coughing and making disgusting noises in the garden and had put his family off their food.

He claimed he had spoken to her in a gentle voice and asked her to speak to her husband.

He denied touching her clothing or making offensive comments to her.