A barrister representing a racist attacker who ripped a niqab off the face of a Muslim woman has linked the attack to the anti-refugee atmosphere surrounding the EU referendum.
A sentencing hearing was told on Monday it was no coincidence that the incident occurred a few weeks after the vote when “press and politicians … were playing the race card”.
Peter Scotter, 56, of Roker, Sunderland, assaulted the woman, who was shopping with her nine-year-old son and husband, shouting that he was taking his country back.
The force he used to pull off the garment in July last year in the Bridges shopping centre, Sunderland, caused her to fall to the floor.
He continued to shout abuse, including: “You are in our country now, you stupid fucking Muslim”, “Take that fucking off”, and “It’s our Britain, stick by our rules, these black bastards with their masks and veils, I will pull them off every time”.
Tony Hawks, defending, told Newcastle crown court there was “no doubt that what he did was an ignorant and despicable piece of behaviour” and he was an “ignorant and ill-educated man”.
But he added: “It is no coincidence that this occurred within a week or so of the Brexit referendum. Where the press and politicians were banging the drum about taking our country back. They were playing the race card and, in the case of Ukip, a disgraceful advertisement showing a queue of refugees.
“He has to take responsibility for his own actions, but is it simply a coincidence that after listening to weeks of that rhetoric the defendant was not affected?”
Prosecutor Neil Pallister told the court that Scotter was escorted out of the centre by a security guard after the assault, but refused to comply with two police community support officers and continued the torrent of abuse.
At a previous hearing he admitted racially aggravated assault by beating and racially aggravated harassment. He has also been receiving treatment for cancer in his mouth, meaning the case has been postponed a number of times.
The court heard he had 70 previous convictions, including throwing bricks with racist stickers on them at a house with refugees inside.
Pallister said the victim described regularly suffering abuse, but this was far beyond what she and her family normally endured. She said it had left her fearful to go out and “disgusted” that it had happened in front of her son.
Members of the public who ran to her help spoke of their shock and one shop assistant said she was moved to tears.
Jailing Scotter for 15 months, Judge Stephen Earl said he had used “appalling language” in a public place, adding: “Comments such as these cannot be acceptable in a civilised society.”
He also ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £140.