Man attacked white woman ‘to avenge Native Americans’

A MAN has been jailed for a raciallymotivated attack on a white woman he stamped on while claiming it was revenge for the massacre of Native Americans.

Benjamin Crawshaw broke three of his victim’s ribs while telling her: “You are a slag, a typical white woman who thinks they can get away with anything, especially murder. All white people get away with murder.”

He later told police: “White people have killed the majority of American Indians. I have always had a chip on my shoulder about my American Indian ancestry.”

Crawshaw attacked the young woman, unprovoked, as she was walking home along Bideford Quay on September and shouted abuse at her before pinning her against a wall and punching her in the face.

He went on to stamp on her after she fell into the road and curled up into a ball to try to protect herself from his onslaught.

Crawshaw, 45, who was living in a tent in Bideford at the time, admitted racially aggravated actual bodily harm and was jailed for 14 months by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court.

He told him that the sentence was two months longer than it would have been because of the racial element of the assault.

He said: “You were extremely abusive and aggressive towards her and used extremely offensive language that demonstrated hostility based on her race as a result of what appears to be a deeply held grievance on your part.”

Nick Lewin, defending, said: “This is an unusual case. It is the first one I have dealt with where the racial element is based on the fact the complainant is white.” He said at the time Crawshaw was homeless and suffering from poor mental health.