A Racially Aggravated Public Order Offence
An Asian shopkeeper was verbally abused by the offender. This was a Police referral and the Restorative Justice conference was held at Ryde Police Station at the request of the victim and with the agreement of the offender. The conference went well, with both victim and offender being supported by their wives.
The offender explained how the investigation had impacted him and his family. He was married with a young baby and they feared he would go to prison. This caused him to become depressed and not sleep, which had an impact on his family. On hearing this, the wife of the victim became tearful.
The victim and victim’s wife gave good accounts of how they had been affected. The wife explained she had been visiting a sick relative abroad and received call from her husband who was considering giving up the shop business due to racial abuse. The wife was considering returning to the UK to support her husband but was torn as she was not ready to leave her sick relative.
The offender was able to fully understand the impact of his actions. This was a very emotional conference for all 4 participants, with the offender showing remorse and apologising for his actions. The apology was warmly accepted. The feedback received from all parties stated they were extremely satisfied with the Restorative Justice process.
If you are interested in finding out more about how Restorative Justice might help you and you are based in Kent, please give us a call on 0800 783 1583 or email us at rjkent@restorativesolutions.org.uk and we will be glad to help you.
