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A Sikh man speaks of his racism
ordeal
WSN
Bureau
 LONDON: A brave
Sikh man has spoken of his terror ordeal as two racist thugs smashed
up his store. Parmjit Singh Sahota, 57, could not express his
feelings or his fears until the pair were locked away.
Parmjit Singh Sahota’s said his ordeal had begun with a tirade of
foul-mouthed abuse after he barred two troublesome customers from
his shop in Tower Hill, Kirkby. Thomas Parry, 34, who is known as
Popeye, and his accomplice Rodney Hancock, 37, caused havoc in the
Costcutter shop on
Loweswater Way.
Prosecutor Ben Morris told how they threatened to burn down his shop
and warned they knew where he lived.
Parry, who has
175 previous convictions, shouted insults including “P*** b*****”
and told him to: “Go back to your own country. You have no right to
live here or work here.” The defendants later used a metal bar to
leave a trail of destruction in the store as they swigged lager and
shouted insults. Mr Sahota said he was saddened by the racist
threats directed at him and his 28-year-old son, Sandeep. He added:
“I’ve been here for 17 years and this area is like my family.
“It was so scary, they had a six-foot metal bat and were hitting the
door with it as we covered ourselves up behind it. “It was fun for
them, danger for us. It went on for ten minutes and they held me by
the neck and tried to kick me in the belly.”
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The two who
assaulted the Sikh man admitted racially aggravated harassment
on the day of their trial, while Hancock, of Hawksmoor
Road, Kirkby, also pleaded guilty to racially aggravated
criminal damage.
They have been jailed for 20 months this week.
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Liverpool crown
court heard that Parry and Hancock had returned to Costcutter two
days after the initial racial abuse on June 10.
Mr Morris said:
“What followed was a nasty and unpleasant confrontation which
resulted in Mr Sahota being the subject of violence and threats of
violence.” Parry, of
St Paul’s Close,
Kirkby, again shouted racial insults, while Hancock used a metal bar
to smash up the shop.
He used the
weapon with such force he damaged a metal door.
Hancock then
ripped off his shirt and challenged Mr Sahota and Sandeep to a
fight, branding them cowards when they refused. Both men admitted
racially aggravated harassment on the day of their trial, while
Hancock, of
Hawksmoor Road,
Kirkby, also pleaded guilty to racially aggravated criminal damage.
They have both
been jailed for 20 months this week. Judge Adrian Lyon said: “I
regard these as serious matters involving incidences on successive
days involving a shopkeeper who had been in the area for many
years. “He was undoubtedly very upset by your behaviour on these
occasions.” Peter Killen, defending former drug addict Parry, said
his client had a heart attack in prison since his arrest. Both men
said they were now ashamed of their actions.
14 January
2008
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