Teen jailed for racist street attack

2:39pm Wednesday 3rd January 2007

A YOUTH who carried out a violent and racist street attack has been jailed for 18 months.

Rizwan Khalid, 17, of Boland Street, Blackburn, punched his white victim in the face, after racially insulting him, as the young man walked in the Whalley Range area of Blackburn, Preston Crown Court was told.

Matthew Thornhill was hit a number of further blows, before around half a dozen other men joined in the violence, the court heard.

It resulted in injuries that included a hand fracture, suspected broken nose and suspected kidney damage.

Judge Norman Wright, who jailed Khalid 18 months detention and training, told him: "You should appreciate that racially aggravated violence will not be tolerated.

"You were the initiator of this attack, for a reason that no-one knows.

"You subjected him to very distasteful racial abuse."

Khalid had been convicted of racially aggravated assault following a trial.