The 52-year-old hit the Thai worker on the arm and broke her phone in a ‘racially-motivated incident’
A ROATH woman told a worker in Cardiff Indoor Market to “go back to your own country” after hitting her and breaking her phone, a court heard.
Heather Leither, 52, hit the left arm of a Thai worker in what Judge Gwyn Jones described as a clearly racially motivated incident. She also told her: “You don’t speak good English.”
The victim was left with no injuries but had her phone destroyed in the attack on September 7, 2024, Cardiff Magistrates Court was told.
“Such behaviour is intolerable in any part of the world, Cardiff as a capital city has a long history of people getting on with each other and making such offensive comments are not acceptable,” said Judge Gwyn Jones.
Tim Petrides, defending, told the judge: “This is her one and only opportunity to engage with the probation service.”
“Any blemish, any abuse, any reoffending there will only be one outcome and that is to return to the place she spent three weeks earlier this year,” added Mr Petrides.
Leither, of Moy Road, Cardiff, was also told that despite her history of offending when she receives the right level of support, she has the opportunity to avoid reoffending.
The defendant tried to ask a question while Judge Jones was reading her sentence but was told by Mr Petrides: “Miss Leither, quit while you’re ahead.”
“Her record of offending does your client no favour,” said Judge Jones to Mr Petrides.
To which Mr Petrides replied: “It’s appalling.”
Leither pleaded guilty to the charges of racially/religiously aggravated common assault and racially/religiously aggravated criminal damage. She was sentenced by Judge Gwyn Jones to a total of 30 weeks imprisonment for the assault and six weeks for the criminal damage to the victim’s phone. The sentences are to be served concurrently, but were suspended for 18 months.
Judge Jones told Leither that the standard custodial sentence for an assault like this is 15 weeks, but it has been doubled for the racial element.
Leither was also ordered to pay £400 in compensation to the victim, £300 in damages relating to the phone and £85 in court costs.
Judge Jones said that when given an opportunity, Leither can show a degree of determination to avoid offending if she worked with probation services.
No victim surcharge was applied to the charges.
