Racist thug jailed for attacking man
9:24am Saturday 13th January 2007 in News By Anthony Osborne
A RACIST thug who launched an unprovoked attack on a man in Swindon town centre has been jailed for 13 months.
Jason Plummer hurled a volley of racial abuse at the innocent stranger before head-butting him in front of shocked shoppers.
And, after hearing that the 33-year-old had been convicted of assaulting someone five months earlier, a judge at Swindon Crown Court jailed him for 13 months.
Joanne Lewis, prosecuting, said Michael Taylor and his wife had gone shopping in the town centre on Saturday, October 14 last year.
While his wife went to a shop Mr Taylor, who is of mixed race, went to the Britannia Building Society to withdraw some money.
She said the victim was standing in a queue when he noticed the defendant sitting on the floor.
The defendant was then joined by a man and a woman and the man told him to move forward in the queue.
"He then said Where, behind the black guy?' and the other man told him not to say that," Miss Taylor said.
Plummer then replied to the other man What am I not supposed to say?' before launching into a tirade of swearing and racial abuse.
She said Mr Taylor turned and the men made eye contact before Plummer said What are you going to do about it?' He then said I bet you would like to do something about it. I bet you would like to head-butt me.' Plummer then smashed his head into Mr Taylor's face, hitting him just above the top lip causing bruising.
The other man then escorted Plummer away as Mr Taylor's wife arrived and the police were called.
Miss Lewis said: "Mr Taylor said he had never had a problem with racism before but on this day he was quietly minding his own business in a queue at the building society.
"He said he now knew what it felt like to be the lowest of the low and all alone.
"He said he didn't hate the person but felt sorry for him."
She said Plummer had a history of violent offending, including GBH in 1999 and a number of incidents of common assault on women and men.
Plummer, of Davis House, Turl Street, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault.
Andrew Hobson, defending, said that his client was drunk at the time of the offence and could not remember what happened.
He said Plummer had stopped drinking since the incident and also sorted out his accommodation problems as he was also homeless at the time.
He said he was now going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and getting help for his drinking .
Jailing him, Judge Douglas Field said: "Mr Taylor and his wife came to Swindon to enjoy themselves on a shopping expedition and you ruined it and you behaved in a totally unacceptable way.
"The racial aggravation of the case adds up to grossly offensive remarks made to two people in that queue."
