Southampton Racist Attack Pair Jailed Following Jogger Assault
Ricky Goodman, 36, and Rory Marshall, 24, both from Southampton, faced the judge today at Southampton Crown Court. They were sentenced for a shocking racially aggravated attack that happened back in February 2021.
Jogger Targeted with Racist Abuse and Violent Assault
On 23 February 2021 at around 4.15pm, a man in his 30s was out for a run on Vosper Road when Goodman shouted racist slurs from a passing car. The vile abuse included telling the jogger to “go back to his own country.”
Marshall, driving the car with Goodman as a passenger, then followed the jogger into Victoria Road, stopped, and both men viciously attacked him. They punched and kicked the victim, causing minor facial injuries and a hurt elbow.
Weapons Discovered After Arrest — Jail Time for Both Men
Police arrested Marshall and searched his vehicle, uncovering a knuckle duster in the glove box and a baseball bat in the front passenger footwell. On 8 April, Goodman was found guilty of racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm, while Marshall was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Marshall also admitted to carrying offensive weapons in public. Goodman was sentenced to 13 months behind bars, and Marshall locked up for nine months. The deadly weapons were ordered destroyed immediately.
Southampton Police Vow Zero Tolerance on Hate Crime
“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,” said Chief Inspector Ricky Dhanda, deputy district commander for Southampton.
“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.”
