Businessman punched and hurled racist abuse at taxi rank customer

A man who launched an unprovoked racist attack on a taxi rank customer has been ordered to pay him compensation.

The victim said he had no idea why Liam O’Sullivan singled him out as he stood outside Bob’s Taxis in Huddersfield town centre.

Prosecutor Andy Wills told Kirklees magistrates that the attack happened in the early hours of January 14.

The victim, Rhys Rubio Senior, had enjoyed a night out with friends and walked to the taxi rank on John William Street.

Mr Wills said that he went into the taxi office, ordered a cab and returned outside to wait with his female friend.

As he left he passed 26-year-old O’Sullivan, who was stood at the bottom of the steps.

Mr Wills said: “Fifteen seconds later he (Mr Senior) felt pain to the side of his face and stumbled backwards.

“He said that the male hit him and called him a ‘n****r’.”

As O’Sullivan punched Mr Senior he grabbed hold of him. They both fell to the floor where he kicked out at Mr Senior.

Magistrates were told that O’Sullivan continued to act aggressively and “mouth off” at Mr Senior whose female friend then managed to pull them apart.

The pair were then ushered into a waiting taxi and left and Mr Senior called police.

Mr Wills said: “The victim said: ‘I don’t know why this man assaulted me. I didn’t engage with him and I’d never seen him before.

“’ I think he assaulted me because he didn’t like my race and made me feel angry because I don’t like that (word)’.”

The female with Mr Senior said she heard O’Sullivan call him a “little n****r” and witnessed them falling to the floor and fighting before she went over to break up the fight.

Magistrates were told that Mr Senior suffered from significant bruising and swelling to the right side of his face.

O’Sullivan, of Woodhall Crescent in Halifax, had denied racially-aggravated assault but then changed his plea to guilty shortly before his trial was due to take place.

His solicitor Ashok Khullar described him as a hard-working young man who ran his own heating and installation company and recently set up a food delivery business.

He said: “He’s ambitious and works to better himself. He’s disgusted with his own behaviour and had some difficulty accepting that he could have said something of a racist nature.

“He feels totally ashamed of that. He’s willing, able and capable of completing some unpaid work for the better of the community.”

Magistrates sentenced O’Sullivan to 100 hours of unpaid work as part of a community order.

He was told to pay Mr Senior £200 compensation as well as £200 prosecution costs and £85 victim surcharge.