- Thursday, April 25, 2024
“I really feel like he has got away with it. I’m heartbroken, really,” Makim said after the sentencing came.
By: Shubham Ghosh
A 40-year-old man, who has faced a vile racist attack and physical assault on the streets of the UK, has said that he felt “let down” by the system after his attacker managed to escape jail.
Shabir Makim, was allegedly attacked in the street by a 56-year-old man named Robert Browne, who struck him a number of times with two big umbrellas and repeatedly described him a “P*ki b****d”.
Makim, a teacher by profession, had come out of a Tesco Express close to his place of residence in the quiet Stockport village of Cheadle, when he saw Browne was involved in an “aggressive” argument with a homeless man.
When Makim took out his phone to record the incident, Browne, a former soldier, turned his onslaught onto the former.
A racist attack soon followed — which saw Browne threatening to kill Makim — was all recorded on camera, the Manchester Evening News reported.
The incident happened on July 25.
Browne was given a 10-week suspended sentence at Tameside Magistrates Court on December 8 after he pleaded guilty to a charge of racially aggravated assault, reports said.
The sentence means the man won’t spend any time in custody unless he offends again in the next 18 months, despite the chair of the bench calling the crime a “horrifying” one.
Makim was not impressed.
Speaking a day after the sentencing, he said he felt “all over the place”, and that the experience made him angry, frustrated, and feeling “let down” by the legal system.
“I have so many after-thoughts,” he said.
“I really feel like he has got away with it. I’m heartbroken, really. There is a part of me saying whatever happens happens for the best and that I should put my trust in the Lord and all that – but then I get angry,” he was quoted as saying.
Makim shared the video on social media soon after the attack to gain traction for the conviction and raise awareness of racist attacks.
The footage showed Browne picking up the umbrellas, one with a metal end, and charging towards the complainant.
He could also be heard telling the victim “you’re a p*ki b*****d”, to which he replies, “you’re a racist son of a b***h”.
Makim was also struck on the head with the umbrellas several times.
The footage gained 1.5 million views on Twitter, and was used as a key evidence in the prosecution case against the accused.
Makim said the incident was not the first of its nature in his lifetime, and that he has been facing racist attacks since he was only eight.
