A pensioner who said ‘I’m not Muslim’ when he was asked to remove his shoes at airport security has spent more than six months facing charges for racism.

Paul Griffith, 75, pictured, set off the security scanner’s alarm at Stansted airport when travelling to Malaga for a week’s holiday.

He removed his shoes as requested, but said: ‘I am not Muslim am I?’

Paul Griffith was on his way to Malaga when airport staff asked him to remove his shoes. His response landed him arrested upon his return to the UK 

Paul Griffith was on his way to Malaga when airport staff asked him to remove his shoes. His response landed him arrested upon his return to the UK

A security guard accused him of racism and called the police, saying he was upset by the remark.

‘One minute I am queuing up to get on a plane and the next I am confronted by two armed policemen.

‘They said I had used racist language and took me to an office in the terminal,’ Mr Griffith said yesterday.

Mr Griffith was allowed to go on his trip but was arrested when he returned. He was charged with causing ‘racially or religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress’.