GET THE LATEST NEWS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY IN YOUR INBOX SIGN UP Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A Pagan shop owner in Gloucester is urging for more tolerance after suffering a campaign of abuse from ‘Christian fanatics’ for nine years.

Witch Toni Hunt, who runs witchcraft store Spellbound in College Street has been plagued with abuse, criminal damage and intimidation for her Pagan beliefs, which she believes is religiously-motivated.

People have attacked the shop, threatened her staff, hurled abuse online and even performed an ‘exorcism’ on the pavement outside.

She says people have attempted to hand out pamphlets and quote the Bible to customers trying to enter the store.

It comes as Gloucestershire Police have released a CCTV picture of a woman they want to speak to in connection with hate crime offences at the store in April.

The Police Pagan Association have also been called in to help.

Ms Hunt, 61, who has lived in the Forest of Dean for 20 years, said there had been an increase in incidents in recent years from people claiming to be from local churches.

“They have threatened to burn the place down,” she said.

“It was devastating to the girls who work here. I am very worried for them, they are only young.

“They said my girls were the same as terrorists, they likened them to devil worshippers and ISIS.

"It's a hate crime"

“We are supported in the area, we have a lot of support, but we do not know how this is going to escalate.”

Ms Hunt, a former Met police officer for 15 years, said she has had to install extra cameras since the latest incident.

“At times we thought it might be just anti-social behaviour. But a lot of it is religious beliefs.

“It is a hate crime, same as any other. It just isn’t acceptable anymore.

“I just don’t understand. If they don’t like us why keep coming here?

“We even had to take down our social media pages for a time because of the abuse. It has definitely affected business.

“They dislike us so much. It is ignorance because they have no idea what our beliefs are.”

A Gloucestershire police spokesman said the CCTV image had been released in connection with incidents of anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.

“The incidents, which are being treated as hate crimes, are reported to have taken place at Spellbound in College Street and include one on April 22 when an oily substance was smeared onto the door handle.



“Officers believe that the woman pictured may have information about the incidents and would like her, anyone who recognises her or has information about the incidents, to contact them.”



Anyone with information is asked to call Gloucestershire Police on 101 quoting incident 185 of 22 April.