Two men jailed after Southampton lecturer punched in racist attack while on jog

Two men have been jailed after a university lecturer was assaulted and racially abused whilst out jogging in Southampton.

Dr Peng Wang was exercising in Vosper Road in the Woolston area of the city in February last year when he was shouted at by a group of men in a passing car.

When he shouted back, two of the men got out and assaulted him.

Ricky Goodman, 36, from Southampton, was found guilty of racially aggravated assault and sentenced to 13 months.

Rory Marshall, 24, was found guilty of assault and sentenced to nine months in prison.

The court heard a car driven by Marshall and carrying Goodman went past Dr Wang at around 4:15pm on 23 February 2021.

Goodman from Windermere Avenue, shouted racist abuse out the window, including telling him ‘to go back to his own country’. Marshall followed him into Victoria Road, before stopping the car.

He and Goodman proceeded to assault the man, repeatedly punching and kicking him.

Dr Wang, who teaches financial management at the University of Southampton, needed hospital treatment for injuries to his face and shoulder.

After Marshall was arrested, his vehicle was searched and a knuckle-duster was found in the glove box along with a baseball bat from the front passenger footwell.

Speaking to ITV Meridian last month about the assault, Dr Wang said, "It's definitely the darkest or toughest chapter of my life.

"It can change your belief in human kind.

"For example now and then when I walk out along the street, I can't help but think are they going to shout at me?"

"My case was not the first one and it won't be the last one.

"We should spend more money on education to educate people to behave properly."

Chief Inspector Ricky Dhanda, deputy district commander for Southampton, said: “No-one should expect to go for a run in the afternoon and be subjected to this kind of vile attack; it is an affront to what Southampton stands for.

“We pride ourselves on being a city full of diverse cultures, and there is absolutely no place for hate crime.

"Rest assured that when anyone tries to sow hate among our communities, we will take action to root these individuals out.

“I hope this sentence reassures our communities of our commitment to tackling hate crime, and encourages victims to come forward and speak to us.

"We will take you seriously and treat you with respect from the moment you make your report.”