UPDATED: Southampton man guilty of racially motivated attack

Update 13 May 2022: Ricky Goodman and Rory Marshall were sentenced today (13 May 2022) at Southampton Crown Court.

Ricky Goodman was sentenced to 13 months' imprisonment. His sentence was increased from nine months to 13 months' in recognition of the seriousness of the hate crime committed.

Rory Marshall was sentenced to nine months' imprisonment.

Michael Ng, Chair of the Chinese Association of Southampton, said: "The Chinese Association of Southampton has been working in partnership with Hampshire Police and CPS Wessex during this difficult period.

"We are grateful for the support provided by Hampshire Police and CPS Wessex as well as from various local communities." 

Dr. Nathan Hall, Chair of the CPS Wessex Hate Crime Scrutiny Panel, said: "Hate crimes impact not only the victim, but also wider communities. This conviction sends a strong message that hate crime is never justified and should never be tolerated or accepted under any circumstances. 

"It also demonstrates the commitment of the police and CPS Wessex, and all those who supported this prosecution, to ensure justice and to stand together against hate crime."

Original publication (8 April 2022): 

A man from Southampton has been found guilty today (8 April 2022) at Southampton Crown Court of racially aggravated assault.

Ricky Goodman, aged 36, was a passenger in a car travelling along Vosper Road, Woolston, when he shouted racist abuse at a Chinese man who was going for a run during the afternoon of 23 February 2021.

The same car then pulled up alongside the victim again after he had turned into Victoria Road. After a verbal altercation between the victim and occupants of the car, Goodman and others got out of the car and assaulted him, punching and kicking the victim whilst he was on the ground.

A second man, Rory Marshall, aged 24, was also found guilty today of assaulting the victim.

Andrew Coley, CPS Wessex Senior Crown Prosecutor, said: “This is a nasty example of a person being targeted because of their race, which is a hate crime.

“By their very nature, hate crimes are incredibly distressing for victims because they have been targeted because of something personal to them – their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

“We know that such crimes have a profound effect on victims and the local community, and we will do all we can to bring offenders to justice.

“I would like to thank the victim and members of the public who came forward to support the successful prosecution of this case.”