A man of native American heritage has been jailed for a racially motivated attack on a woman.

Benjamin Crawshaw stamped on her while telling her 'You are a slag, a typical white woman who thinks they can get away with anything, especially murder.'

He later told police: "White people have killed the majority of American Indians. I have always had a chip on my shoulder about my American Indian ancestry."

Crawshaw attacked the young woman for no reason as she was walking home along Bideford Quay and shouted abuse at her before pinning her against a wall and punching her in the face.

He went on kick and stamp on her after she fell into the roadway and curled up into a ball to try to protect herself from his onslaught.

Crawshaw, aged 45, who was living in a tent in Bideford at the time, admitted racially aggravated actual bodily harm and was jailed for 14 months by Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court.

Exeter Crown Court

He told him that the sentence was two months longer than it would have been because of the racial element of the assault.

He said:"You were extremely abusive and aggressive towards her and used extremely offensive language which demonstrated hostility based on her race as a result of what appears to be a deeply held grievance on your part.

"You punched her in the face and when she went to the ground you continued the attack and kicked and stamped on her. It was a sustained assault involving kicking that led to a fractured rib."

Mr Tom Bradnock, prosecuting, said the assault started near the Kings Arms pub on the Quay in Bideford in the early hours of September 1 this year and culminated with him kicking her in the road nearby.

She walked away after an initial verbal confrontation but he thought she was laughing at him and punched her in the face three times. He kicked her twice and stamped on her twice.

She needed hospital treatment for bruising to her face and body and an X-ray revealed a broken rib. He told police he had only pushed her but also told them about his native American heritage and of having a chip on his shoulder.

Mr Nick Lewin, defending, said:"This is an unusual case. It is the first one I have dealt with where the racial element is based on the fact the complainant is white.

"He used that description once during a protracted assault and it doesn't seemed to have caused offence. It seems the victim was the recipient of all his frustration when he was intoxicated."

He said at the time Crawshaw was homeless and living in a tent and suffering from poor mental health. He has been diagnosed as schizophrenic in the past.