Three jailed over racial attack

Three jailed over racial attack

Mr Romao was kicked 26 times in the head

Three men have been jailed for a racially-motivated attack after they were caught on CCTV.

Jose Romao had just arrived in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, from Portugal when he was attacked on Regent Street and kicked in the head 26 times in October last year.

Alan Piesse, 29, of Bells Road, Gorleston, who had denied racially aggravated assault, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court to two-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty at an earlier hearing.

Leon Casey, 22, of Nottingham Way in Great Yarmouth, who had pleaded guilty, was jailed for 21 months, while Carl Pope, 28, of University Crescent in Gorleston, was sentenced to 15 months.

The court had heard the attackers had thought Mr Romao was Kosovan and that one of the three had shouted, "You don't belong here - get back to your own country".

Mr Romao had just arrived in Great Yarmouth

Sentencing the three men on Monday, Judge Simon Barham said the racial element meant their jail terms were longer than they would otherwise have been.

However, speaking afterwards, Mr Romao said they were not long enough.

Although he has recovered physically, he still suffers nightmares and plans to return to Portugal now the case is over.

"They had no reason to attack me," he said.

"I was very lucky to survive that."

Mr Piesse's girlfriend, Alison Best, of Bells Road in Gorleston, was sentenced to 80 hours' community punishment after being found guilty of assault.

She was cleared of racially motivated assault.