An Oxford court has handed out punishments to 10 people during the last six months for racially aggravated harassment.

Racially aggravated harassment, under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, is where the ‘offender demonstrates towards the victim of the offence hostility based on the victim’s membership (or presumed membership) of a racial group’. It is also where ‘the offence is motivated (wholly or partly) by hostility towards members of a racial group based on their membership of that group’.  

All the people appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court where they were either handed jail sentences, community orders, fines or made to pay compensation to the victims. 

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PAUL MCLAUGHLIN, 60, of Lye Avenue in Birmingham caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on June 7 in Wallingford and the offence was racially aggravated. McLaughlin was jailed for 16 weeks suspended for 24 months. In the court documents it stated the reason for custody was due to the ‘variously racial and homophobic elements’, ‘people doing their jobs’, and Wootton’s ‘previous convictions’. He was also required to participate in an accredited programme for 19 days, carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and pay compensation of £100.

JAMES ROBSON, 26, of Queen Street in Henley-on-Thames caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on May 7 in Henley-on-Thames and the offence was racially aggravated. Robson was handed a community order and was also required to under undertake 50 hours of unpaid work. He was also made to pay £200 in compensation, a victim surcharge of £95 and costs of £520.

LEWIS WOOTTON, 39, of Rose Hill in Oxford caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on July 2 in Chertsey and the offence was racially aggravated. Wootton was jailed for a total time of 28 weeks. In the court documents it stated that the offence was 'so serious' and only prison was suitable because of his 'history of violence offences, including biting his partner as well as assault on police officers'.

QADEEP HUSSAIN, 26, of Long Ford Close in Oxford caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on February 16 2020 in Oxford and the offence was racially aggravated. Hussain was handed a community order which required him to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. He was also made to pay compensation of £50.

SANDRA GREENSLADE, 69, of Mill Lane in Oxford caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on November 11 2020 in Oxford and the offence was racially aggravated. Greenslade was given a 12 month conditional discharge and made to pay compensation of £80.

ANDREW ROBINSON, 52, of no fixed address caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on July 21 at a youth hostel in Oxford and the offence was racially aggravated. Robinson was jailed for a total time of 16 weeks. In the court documents it stated that the offence was ‘so serious’ because it was racially aggravated and in breach of criminal behaviour orders.

MARTIN BABEY, 32, of St George’s Road in Tidworth caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on August 11 2020 in Didcot and the offence was racially aggravated. In the court documents it stated the court found the offence ‘was racially aggravated’. Babey was fined £243, made to pay a victim surcharge of £41 and costs of £100.

JOSE PHILLIPS, 60, of no fixed address caused harassment, alarm or distress to two victims on May 26 in Aylesbury and the offence was racially aggravated. Phillips was handed a community order which required he undergo treatment for alcohol dependency for 12 months.

SIMON GRANITO, 47, of Rye Gardens in Sutton Courteney in Abingdon caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on June 30 2020 in Abingdon and the offence was racially aggravated. Granito was handed a community order which required he undergo mental health treatment for 12 months.

RICHARD KINNAIRD, 41, of Catwell Close in Oxford had his original offence re-sentenced on November 29. The court found Kinnaird caused harassment, alarm or distress to the victim on February 12 2020 in Oxford and the offence was racially aggravated. Kinnaird was fined £150.

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