Man sentenced for “random attack” on strangers in Huddersfield

The Huddersfield Examiner reports on the sentencing of a man who verbally abused a Muslim woman and assaulted a three year old child after consuming his pub raffle draw prize of “eight pints of lager”.

Jonny Karrasch, 24, approached Shabiha Shahid on 22 October, as she and her mother were returning home in their car in Lockwood, Huddersfield.

Mr Karrasch shouted at the women: “Who do you think you are? It will take me two minutes to know who you are and where you live.”

Taking his words to mean a threat, Ms Shahid sought help at the nearby house of a relative but Mr Karrasch pursued her and grabbed hold of her wrist. As Ms Shahid struggled to free her hand, Mr Karrasch grabbed hold of a three year old boy who was inside the hallway of the property at the time.

Prosecutor Vanessa Jones told Kirklees magistrates court that Mr Karrasch “grabbed hold of the boy by his shirt and tried to pull him out of the house.”

Ms Shahid and her relative tried to push door shut and as Karrasch let go of the child he got his own leg trapped in the door.

The two women opened the door to release Mr Karrasch’s trapped leg and managed to push the door shut on him but he started punching and kicking at the door causing £300 of damage.

The two women called the police but Mr Karrasch had run off down the road toward a pregnant woman who was out trick or treating with her partner and eight year old daughter.

Mrs Jones said: “Karrasch tried to hit the male and because of his demeanour they detained him on the floor until police arrived.”

The female witness told the court Mr Karrasch had called the little girl “Chelsea” and said “You say you are with me or if not I’ll get locked up.”

She said Mr Karrasch looked at the little girl and said “Come here, beautiful”, causing the girl to cry out of fear.

Karrasch’s defence said his behaviour was “totally out of character.” The court was told he had consumed his raffle prize and could not remember committing the offences.

The court heard Karrasch did not normally consume such a volume of alcohol because of his medication.

Karrasch pleaded guilty to two charges of assault, criminal damage, racially-aggravated threatening behaviour and possession of cannabis.

He was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison, suspended for two years. He was ordered to complete a community order with 10 days of rehabilitative activities and submit to a curfew for six weeks. Mr Karrasch was also ordered to pay £50 compensation to each of his victims and £300 for damage to the door.