Beaten up for having ginger hair (From Daily Echo)
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Beaten up for having ginger hair
9:10am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in News
A MAN was subjected to a “frenzied and sustained” attack because he had ginger-coloured hair, a court heard.
James Prior was left with a number of cuts and bruises as a result of being assaulted by Miguel Costa and Robert Knapper in a completely unprovoked attack, Southampton Crown Court was told.
The pair were driving along Maryatt Road in New Milton when Costa spotted Mr Prior, who had left his home nearby to get a paper.
Prosecutor Mary Aspinall-Miles described how Costa started hurling abuse from the car at Mr Prior based on the colour of his hair.
Costa, 19, then got out of the car and threw a number of punches and kicked out at the victim in a “wild and unfocussed manner”.
At one point Costa even bit Mr Prior on the cheek.
Miss Aspinall-Miles said: “Mr Prior put his palms up as if to calm him (Costa) down, and starting backing away at this point. He had no idea why he was being attacked. It appeared that it was simply because of the fact he had ginger-coloured hair.”
Knapper, 22, then joined in the assault when Mr Prior put his fists out as if to defend himself. Knapper threw punches causing injuries to his victim before stepping away and eventually pulling Costa away, the court heard. The pair then got into their car and drove off.
Costa admitted one charge of causing actual bodily harm and a public order offence. The conviction meant he had also breached a probation order imposed for previous offences of burglary, battery and a bail offence, for which he was also resentenced.
The court heard that Costa, of Glengarry, New Milton, remembered little of the attack because he was drunk, which was the cause of much of his offending. He was sentenced to 24 months and two weeks in prison.
Knapper, of Hawthorn Close, New Milton, was said to have acted out of a misplaced sense of loyalty, having got the impression that Costa knew the victim.
He was sentenced to 20 months in prison after admitting one count of causing actual bodily harm.
Comments(15)
St.DaveH
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10:19am Thu 2 Feb 12
Linesman
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10:20am Thu 2 Feb 12
Writers Cramp
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10:24am Thu 2 Feb 12
To all ginger people who read this, remember on your head is SPUN GOLD !
Shoong
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10:24am Thu 2 Feb 12
10 Minute Man
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10:47am Thu 2 Feb 12
Dasal
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11:01am Thu 2 Feb 12
................
Goldenwight
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11:01am Thu 2 Feb 12
Note, incidentally, that the co-defendent (presumably the driver of the car?) doesn't put in any claim to have been drinking. Yet he "acted out of a misplaced sense of loyalty" to an acquaintance who was drunk despite being sober himself? Pull the other one.
The Salv
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11:03am Thu 2 Feb 12
teamgreen
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1:25pm Thu 2 Feb 12
ydkjs2
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2:36pm Thu 2 Feb 12
acid drop
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3:19pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Here, There
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3:28pm Thu 2 Feb 12
andysaints007
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6:11pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Writers Cramp wrote:'On your head is spun gold'?? What a stupid thing to say!! On their head is ginger hair and there is nothing wrong with it - the last thing anyone needs is to be patronised !!
'Gingerism' needs highlighting more ! Its about time it stopped. I know someone who has been bullied in one guise or another all his life. It even affected his school grades. All the schools say is 'we do educate them not to bully'. Its as bad as racism in my view, and needs dealing with in the same manner.
To all ginger people who read this, remember on your head is SPUN GOLD !
Sametegal
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9:08pm Sat 4 Feb 12
Well , at least Writers Cramp wasn't being unkind - calling someone stupid however .........
Huey says...
10:10am Thu 2 Feb 12