Man jailed after racially abusing bus driver and attacking betting shop

A man has been sentenced to 10 months imprisonment after pleading guilty to racially abusing a bus driver and violently attacking a betting shop.

The first incident saw Michael Mongan, 39, of Castle Road, Ealing, west London, attack a Ladbrokes branch in Northolt on July 27.

He repeatedly hit windows with a large stick and racially abused staff while under the influence of alcohol. A member of the public had to restrain him before he was arrested by police.

While in custody, Mongan racially abused a police officer who was driving a van.

Mongan pleaded guilty to two counts of racially aggravated behaviour, one charge of criminal damage and one count of causing damage to a police vehicle.

The second incident occurred on August 7, while he was on bail for the previous offences, after a bus driver refused to let him board as he did not have the money to pay for his journey.

Mongan spat at the bus driver’s cab a number of times while shouting Islamophobic abuse and other threats.

His lawyer, Giovanna Fiorentino, said Mongan had claimed a member of the public had offered to pay for his fare but the bus driver was still refusing to let him board.

A video of the incident was widely shared on social media, and Mongan was identified and arrested on Friday.

He was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence and criminal damage.

He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where Judge Ian Comfort sentenced him to 10 months imprisonment for all charges.

The sentence included four months in custody for each of the two charges of racially aggravated behaviour, two months for criminal damage to Ladbrokes and one month for criminal damage to a police vehicle. All charges will run concurrently.

He was also sentenced to six months in custody for racially abusing the bus driver, which will run consecutively to the other sentences, and one month for damaging the cab door of the bus, which will run concurrently.

He was also told to pay £500 to the bus driver, £200 to the police officer he racially abused and £200 to a staff member at Ladbrokes.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Comfort told him his actions were “appalling” and said of the bus incident: “This was appalling racial and religious abuse over a sustained period of time.

“Your behaviour (occurred) when there was violent disorder in other parts of the country against Muslims and other groups.”

On the Ladbrokes incident, he said: “There was racially aggravated behaviour towards staff who … were unable to escape your tirade.

“It caused serious distress and after you were arrested you continued your racial abuse to a Pc.”

Mongan bowed his head as the sentence was read out to court and told the judge afterwards: “They won’t see a pound of it from me.”

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