LOCKED UP: Michael Rolland Dixon
A YOB who punched and hurled vile racist abuse towards an innocent Asian man in the street during a “shameful” unprovoked attack has been jailed.
Michael Rolland Dixon approached his unsuspecting victim in a pizza shop in York Road, Hartlepool, before lashing out and launching into a tirade of abuse.
The 26-year-old then followed the injured man to the police station shouting threats that he was going to kill him, Teesside Crown Court was told.
And after he was arrested by officers, he told them: “I can’t believe you’re going to take the word of an immigrant.”
Dixon is today starting a 31-month prison sentence after Recorder David Osborne slammed his actions, calling the attack “the sort of behaviour that undermimes trust in communities”.
Recorder Osborne said: “You engaged in conversation in a pizza shop and quickly became aggressive for absolutely no reason.
“You abused him in a racial fashion repeatedly, you punched him to the ground, you threatened to stab him and he had absolutely no reason to believe you wouldn’t carry out those threats.”
The court heard how Dixon, of Acclom Street, Hartlepool, had been drinking for almost 12 hours in the run up to the incident in the early hours of November 18 last year.
Jim Withiman, mitigating, said the defendant had gone on a drinking binge after a difficult couple of weeks which had a “debastabilising effect” on his life.
Dixon found out that a close friend had committed suicide just two days before the attack and his auntie lost her battle with cancer 10 days previous, the court heard.
But Recorder Osborne said: “You had suffered a number of bereavements and I have no doubt that was in the background of your drinking binge.
“But the fact remains that this was a shameful attack.
“It’s the kind of offence which causes members of the public to change their lifestyle when they go out on an evening.”
Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said Dixon approached the man in the takeaway before the victim went outside while he waited for his food.
Dixon then became “overly aggressive”, insulting the man racially before punching him.
The victim fell to the ground, at which point Dixon apologised and asked him to hand over his mobile phone so he could call an ambulance, the court heard.
After the man refused, Dixon said “give me your phone or I will stab you”, Ms Masters said.
The victim managed to get away and went to the police station and Dixon was arrested shortly afterwards.
Dixon pleaded guilty to attempted robbery at a previous appearance at Teesside Crown Court.
Mr Withiman said:“My client does feel deep regret for all the things he said.
“He has expressed his deep shame and embarrassment for what he said.”
Recorder Osborne added: “I accept that you are deeply ashamed you used that language.
“Some people are bad people through and through, some people are well thought of, but do bad things. You fall in the latter category.”
