“Shabby racist” jailed for repeatedly kicking pregnant woman in the stomach

David Gallacher, who was described by the judge as a “shabby racist“, was jailed yesterday for 47 months for assaulting a pregnant Muslim woman, who miscarried her unborn twins after he repeatedly kicked her in the stomach.
Gallacher attacked Samsam Haji-Ali and her husband Abdullah Sulamain in the car park of a Milton Keynes Co-op on 6th August last year
After verbally abusing Ms Haji-Ali and reportedly calling her a ‘terrorist” inside the store, he approached her in the car park.
As Ms Haji-Ali sat in the car, 37-year-old Gallacher racially abused her before kicking her in the stomach despite her shouting “I’m pregnant”.
According to Prosecutor Christopher Wing, Gallacher told the expectant mother: “You come here with your clown outfit on, you f***ing people, you are the f***ing problem in this place”.
The court heard that when Ms Haji-Ali’s husband, Mr Sulamain, went to try and calm Gallacher, he was hit across the head with a wine bottle and bag of ice.
He received a four-inch cut, which later required stitches.
Sentencing Gallacher, Judge Francis Sheridan said: “There was a racial element to this attack.
“The defendant is a shabby racist in the language that he used towards this lady.”
Sheridan further added that Gallacher “swung the bottle towards her before he kicked her.
“She told him she was pregnant, and he continued to kick her again, after he was told she was pregnant.”
Haji-Ali was left rolling around on the floor in agony, and miscarried her unborn twins on August 24 last year.
Sheridan added that Haji-Ali’s pregnancy was “absolutely fine before she attended that shop and the defendant kicked her again in the stomach having been told she was pregnant.”
He said he was of the view that “the loss of that baby was a direct result of a kick to the stomach of a pregnant woman”.
Addressing Gallacher, he added: “You are a thug and a racist to boot.
“It is time you learnt that your vile conduct and abhorrent views are a thing of the past.
“This county will not bow to the views of racists, because decent society demands that intolerance is shown to all racists of any sort, however they chose to express their hatred of others, or dislike of others and the abuse that goes with it.”
The judge said he had not awarded compensation in the case because he “simply could not put a price on the lost baby”.
Mr Wing told the court that, when questioned by police, Gallacher claimed he was not a racist because he “taught himself Muslim” and speaks to members of the Muslim community.
When arrested, Gallacher was aggressive, spat at officers, and attempted to bite them, telling them he had Hepatitis B.
However, he admitted two counts of racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and three counts of assaulting a police officer during his arrest.
He was jailed for three years and seven months for the race attacks, and four months for the officer assaults.