Youth given suspended sentence after Norwich shop attack

Christine CunninghamA youth who attacked a Norwich shop manager and racially abused him has been given a suspended custodial sentence and banned him from setting foot in the shop for a year.Christine Cunningham

A youth who attacked a Norwich shop manager and racially abused him has been given a suspended custodial sentence and banned him from setting foot in the shop for a year.

Ross Mackenzie, 18, grabbed shop manager Thiyago Jeyakanthan by the throat after he confronted him about his behaviour in his shop in Rosary Road in Norwich.

Norwich Crown Court heard that Mackenzie had taken a chocolate from a box of chocolates and his friend had taken a can of beer without paying for them. When Mr Jeyakanthan had spoken to them Mackenzie grabbed him round the throat and pushed him against the shop door. The court heard that Mackenzie had then made a racial insult and threatened to kill him. He later returned and made a further racial remark to the shop manager and had pulled him to the floor and carried out a further attack.

A window at the shop worth �80 was also broken.

Mackenzie of Colegate, Norwich admitted racially aggravated common assault and criminal damage in August last year.

The sentencing was adjourned until yesterday when Judge Paul Downes imposed a three month custodial sentence suspended for 12 months and imposed a six month supervision order. He also banned Mackenzie from going into the shop in Rosary Road for a year. He also ordered that he attend a low intensity alcohol treatment programme.

At an earlier hearing Judge Downes had said that the courts had to protect small shopkeepers as they were vulnerable.