Attack victim was 'just a foreigner'
A NORTH Lynn man who attacked a Portuguese worker in front of the victim's wife and 13-year-old daughter has been jailed for 18 months at Norwich Crown Court.
Kevin Bocking (31), of 89 Loke Road, attacked Adelio Braganca as he walked home from a Portuguese caf in Gaywood. After the attack Bocking was heard saying his victim was “just a foreigner.”
The court heard last Friday that Mr Braganca was hit on the head and was kicked and punched while he was on the ground, leaving him needing stitches near his eye for an injury which is still affecting his vision.
Mr Douglas Mackay, prosecuting, said the racist comments made by Bocking were heard after he attacked Mr Braganca who gave an impact statement to the court saying he was off work three weeks as a result and had lost more than 500 income. He also had to pay for dental work and the attack had left him scared to go out.
Bocking admitted racially-aggravated actual bodily harm and was told by Recorder Guy Ayres that it was an “unforgiveable and unprovoked assault.The court has to set itself against street violence, particularly this type of unpleasant street violence.”
Recorder Ayres said he accepted the attack itself was not racially motivated, but the comments afterwards had been.
“Your attitude afterwards was you had no real concern for your victim because of his nationality.”
Bocking, who has no previous convictions, had shown remorse after the event, the court was told.
“Comments that were made in his drunken state were not directed at those directly concerned in the attack and were not even heard by them,” said Ian James, mitigating.
“He genuinely regrets what he did. The behaviour was out of character for him,” he added.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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