A Belfast man who launched an “unprovoked” attack aggravated by “racial hostility” on a man who was meditating has been jailed.
When he is released from prison after serving half his three years and nine month term, Samuel Robert James Farmer will spend an additional two years on licence.
From Joanmount Park, the 28-year old was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court on a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent upon his victim.
The court heard that around 7am on Saturday August 14, 2022 the victim was meditating on the bandstand at Cornmarket in the city centre when he was approached by Farmer.
Farmer told the prone man repeatedly to get up and in response, the victim told Farmer to mind his own business.
The pair then exchanged words and at this point Farmer said: “Do you want me to be cheeky? I can throw a right hook.”
Farmer then lifted the man from behind and proceeded to punch him several times in the face before dragged him off the bandstand.
A woman who was with Farmer tried unsuccessfully to intervene and the attack caused the victim to lose consciousness.
The violent incident lasted around four-and-a-half minutes and was captured both on CCTV and on an audio recording on the victim’s mobile phone.
Judge Patricia Smyth said she had viewed the footage and listened to the audio and revealed that during the incident Farmer could be heard issuing threats.
Addressing Farmer as he sat in the dock, the Judge said: “You also called the injured party a waste of space, told him to ‘get out of my f*****g country you wee f*****g b*****d’ and you referred to him as a ‘fruit’ on a number of occasions.”
Following the attack, Farmer fled the scene whilst members of the public came to the aid of the victim, who was rushed to hospital.
He was treated for a number of injuries including facial fractures which required surgery and the insertion of a metal plate.
When he was arrested, Farmer admitted to police he was the person captured on CCTV and subsequently admitted the charge.
Judge Smyth said that whilst the victim sustained serious physical wounds, he has also suffered a “significant” emotional impact.
She described the incident as “an unprovoked attack on a prone man” and one aggravated by “racial hostility”.
The Belfast Recorder said she had taken into account defence submissions which she said set out Farmer’s “dysfunctional and unhappy childhood” and other traumas.
Also considered was Farmer’s long history of drug and alcohol abuse. As she imposed a sentence of three years and nine months, Judge Smyth told Farmer: “It is my duty to tell you that those who cause really serious harm to others must be punished in order to deter others from this terrible wanton violence that occurred in this case.”