Couple jailed for viral race abuse park rant

An elderly couple who were filmed racially abusing a health worker in a park have been jailed for eight weeks.

Fyona Bairstow, 72, and Michael Bairstow, 77, were captured abusing Apple Moorhouse in Manor Heath Park in Halifax last August, in footage that was widely shared online.

Bradford Magistrates' Court heard the couple, of Shelf in Halifax, had become aggressive with Moorhouse when their dog started barking at her children and she told them it should be on a lead.

Michael Bairstow told Moorhouse to "go back to your dinghy", and Fyonna Bairstow pulled her ponytail when she tried to walk away.

Mobile phone footage of the incident was played in court, which showed Michael Bairstow telling his dog to "get her, kill" before picking up a dog bowl full of water and throwing it at her.

Fyona Bairstow could then be seen making a reference to slavery and mocking the victim's father, saying: "You can't even speak English."

Michael Bairstow asked Moorhouse if she had "come from a rubber boat" and repeatedly said: "Ban the immigrants."

The court heard that the victim, who moved to the UK from the Philippines more than 15 years ago, told the couple she was a healthcare worker and was entitled to remain in the UK.

As she tried to walk away, Fyona Bairstow pulled her backwards by her ponytail.

When another woman intervened and told Michael Bairstow to get away from Moorhouse, he punched her to the left side of her face and said: "Sticking up for immigrants, who do you think you are?"

Raza Hussain, representing the Bairstows, said the incident had not been pre-meditated and the couple "fully accept the racial language they used was wholly inappropriate, which they deeply regret".

He added: "The fact that this incident was circulated widely on social media and on national news has brought them significant embarrassment."

In a victim personal statement read in court, Moorhouse said she was "scared for her life" during the incident and now carried a panic button with her.

Before magistrates retired to consider their decision, chairwoman of the bench Gill Arnold asked the couple to stand.

She said: "I just want to have a look at you… That kind of attitude and those words and the things you said to Ms Moorhouse, is not something that comes out of the blue in a second, it's something deeply rooted.

"That somebody can be so vile and aggressive to somebody such as this young woman here - I can only think you must be extremely ashamed.

"I'm glad you are hanging your head, and we'll be extremely fair when we decide what's going to happen to you, but I want you to know, as another human being, I feel sickened."

Michael Bairstow replied: "We are ashamed."

Arnold later said the couple would be jailed for eight weeks, due to the seriousness of the offence and the fact that children were present.

She also ordered each defendant to pay £175 compensation to Moorhouse, and Michael Bairstow to pay £100 to the second complainant.

The couple pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated assault against Moorhouse at an earlier hearing and Michael Bairstow also admitted assaulting the woman who tried to intervene.

Speaking after the sentencing, Moorhouse said: "It's a clear message that we're all equal, that racism is not acceptable.

"Hopefully it will send a clear message that racism is a crime."

She told reporters she had not been expecting the Bairstows to receive jail time and added: "I can't say I'm glad about it, I feel sorry for them."

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