Racist killer has jail term increased to five years
A23-YEAR-OLD Birmingham man who admitted manslaughter after kicking a pedestrian in a “nasty racist attack” was given an unduly lenient sentence, appeal judges have concluded.
Jamie Taylor, of Birmingham, had been given a four-year jail term by a judge at Nottingham Crown Court in June, following the death of 23-yearold Amaan Momand.
But three appeal judges have now increased the term to five years and three months after Solicitor General Lucy Frazer mounted a challenge.
Lord Justice Males, Mrs Justice O’Farrell and Sir Roderick Evans, who considered the case at a Court of Appeal hearing, concluded that Judge Stuart Rafferty had not given enough weight to the racial element of Taylor’s crime in sentencing.
Mr Momand and his wife Halima Hussain had been crossing a road near their home in Kings Heath in September 2019 when a confrontation took place.
He was attacked by Taylor and teenager Taylor Pountney, who had been travelling in a car.
They had taken exception to the victim and his wife crossing in front of them.
Judges heard that Taylor had shouted racist abuse before launching a high kick at Mr Momand.
Mr Momand died a few days later as a result of head injuries.
Lord Justice Males said: “This was a case of disgusting racial abuse, followed up by completely unnecessary violence and confrontation in which a man was killed solely because of the colour of his skin.
“This was a nasty racist attack with catastrophic consequences.”
He said the four-year sentence had been unduly lenient.
Pountney, who was 17 at the time of the attack and had punched Mr Momand, was found guilty of manslaughter, and given a three-year custodial term. The Solicitor General had not mounted any appeal against the sentence handed to Pountney, who is
This was a nasty racist attack with catastrophic consequences Lord Justice Males
also from Birmingham.
After the case an MP said he was amazed at the “leniency” of sentences given to the two thugs.
Selly Oak MP Steve McCabe hoped
Justice Secretary Robert Buckland would look again, after the killers of Amaan Momand received jail terms totalling seven years between them.
Mr McCabe said: “Manslaughter may have been the correct charge given that technically they didn’t set out to kill Mr Momand, but this was a vicious, deliberate and premeditated attack which resulted in them killing this poor man.
“I’m amazed at the leniency of the sentences. Both the Prime Minister and the Justice Secretary have been talking a lot about tougher sentences recently, so I’ll be expecting them to
agree to take another look at this.”
Speaking after the case, Det Insp Michelle Allen said: “Rather than drive away and carry on with their day, this pair chose to get out of the car they were travelling in and confront Mr Momand and his wife just because they’d had to brake to allow the couple to cross a road.
“This is a senseless and tragic incident over a matter so trivial that descended into such significant violence that a man has lost his life.
“My sincere condolences remain with Mr Momand’s family who are still coming to terms with their loss.”