An Islington man who pinned a 15-year-old Asian boy to the floor and sliced open his cheek in an “appalling” racist attack has been jailed for eight years.
Jerry Monerville, 47, of Claremont Square, off Pentonville Road, pounced on the teenager and beat him to the ground with the help of accomplice Shane Doyle, 26.
The vile pair then slashed his face twice with a knife, and when the boy asked why they had attacked him they spat back: “It’s cos you’re a f***ing Paki”.
Monerville and Doyle ambushed the teenager from behind as he sat alone in Weavers Field Park, Bethnal Green, at around 11pm on November 21, last year.
Prosecutor Helen Owens said the boy heard voices behind him saying “Are you on it? Let’s do it!”, before he was confronted by Monerville and punched in the face, kicked and headbutted.
“Jerry Monerville was sitting on top of him,” said the prosecutor.
“He had the knife in his hand.
“He told the victim he was going to kill him.
“He then drew the knife across the victim’s face twice, causing cuts both times.
“After the victim was cut Shane Doyle kicked him twice in the face.
“He asked why they were doing this and one of them replied: ‘It’s cos you’re a f***ing Paki’.”
Miss Owens said the two men then searched the teenager’s pockets and took his mobile phone before they attempted to flee the scene.
But a passer-by who heard the boy’s screams called the police and the two men were arrested in the park.
Officers recovered the knife used in the attack and found Monerville was also carrying a stungun.
Both men pleaded guilty to robbery and causing grievous bodily harm, but claimed they were drunk at the time of the incident.
Jailing Monerville for eight years and Doyle, of Epping Close, Isle of Dogs, for seven years at Snaresbrook Crown Court, Judge Neil Sanders said: “The facts of this case are appalling.
“To exasperate everything he was repeatedly called a ‘Paki’ and it is absolutely plain that there were racial overtones to what was being done to him.
“It must have been a terrifying experience for the victim.”
Islington Gazette
