The IRR has, since 1991, been documenting murders with a suspected or known racial element.*

This page lists murders from 2000 onwards. Click here to read about murders from 1991-1999 with a suspected or known racial element.

List of deaths in custody 1991-1999

 

01/00, Zahid Mubarek, 19, Feltham, West London

Zahid was the victim of a racist attack in his cell at Feltham Young Offenders Institute. He was just 12 hours from being released. The attack left Zahid with massive head injuries and he died five days later. His assailant was his cell mate, 19-year-old Robert Joseph Stewart, who was jailed for life for his murder.

04/00, Santokh ‘Peter’ Singh Sandhu, 42, Port Talbot, South Wales

Beaten to death in a racially motivated attack on his way home from a pub. In January 2001, William Morgan was found not guilty of manslaughter after alleging he punched Peter over an argument over litter.

05/00, Kombra Divakaren, 43, London

Died of head injuries two days after being attacked and abused by a gang attempting to steal from his shop. In January 2001, a 16-year-old girl and 20-year-old man were sentenced to five years. Two others were found guilty of affray.

06/00, Jan Marthin Pasalbessi, 48, Newport, South Wales

An Indonesian man beaten to death outside the hospital where his 14-year-old step-daughter was being treated for injuries during a racist gang attack on her. (The same gang attacked Jan.) Judge rejected any racial motivation.

06/00, Glynne Agard, 34, Westbury, Wiltshire

On a night out with his brother, Stephen and friend Gary Belgrave, were attacked by a gang of eight who kicked and punched Glynne to death. In July 2001, Wayne King was jailed for four years after pleading guilty to manslaughter. A 21-year-old was jailed for four years for ABH. The judge said the murder was not racially motivated.

07/00, Mohammed Asghar, 43, Huddersfield

Stabbed to death outside his restaurant. In May 2001, an all-White jury found Jonathan Fairbank not guilty of murder, accepting he had acted in self defence.

08/00, Abdi Dorre, 31, Northampton

Somali asylum seeker died after falling down the stairs at the Lounge nightclub in Northampton. CCTV footage showed Abdi being escorted from the club by two bouncers but not his fall down sixteen stairs. The two men gave the inquest differing accounts of what had happened. One of the men claimed that the other had made racist comments. The CPS initially refused to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence for a prosecution. After pressure from the family the CPS again looked at the case and in August 2002, they announced that manslaughter charges were being brought against two men. In November 2002, the trial of the two men at Leicester crown court was delayed as their lawyers sought to present an application to dismiss both cases – this was further delayed until early December 2002 to allow lawyers to prepare their arguments. No further information is available.

11/00, Tariq Javed, 48, Bury, Manchester

Murdered by a gang of White men who hijacked his cab. He was beaten, robbed and then run over by his own car. Mark Baxter and Jason Power were convicted of murder and robbery and jailed for life. Police said there was no evidence that the murder was racially motivated.

11/00, Khaliur Rahman, 58, Birmingham

Restaurant owner, beaten, robbed and racially abused by two White men on 22 October. Died as a result of injuries sustained during attack. In June 2002, one man was acquitted of his murder and another man was to be retried later in the year.

12/00, Sarfraz Khan, 30, Rotherham

Beaten and stabbed six times and then set alight in his car after picking up a taxi fare. In July 2001, Craig Gilbert sentenced to life for murder, he claimed he was ‘off his head’ on drugs at the time of the murder.

01/01, Gian Singh Nagra, 37, Elm Park, London

Found with serious head injuries after suspected racial attack, died later in hospital. In August 2001, Matthew Dorrian admitted manslaughter.

03/01, Fetah Marku, 24, Edgware, London

This Kosovan asylum seeker was beaten to death by a gang of men following an argument in a pub in Edgware, north London. Fetah suffered eighty injuries, twenty-nine of which were from sharp instruments. In June 2002, Richard Ellis, a Black man, was found guilty of his murder. The judge commented it was unlikely he was ‘solely responsible’. Ellis denied knowing any of the 20-30 strong gang that beat Fetah to death. In April 2007, Ellis was told that he must serve at least 11 years for the racially motivated attack before he could seek parole.

04/01, Shiblu Rahman, 34, Bow, East London

Stabbed to death by a gang of White youth as he returned home from work. In November 2001, a 15-year-old boy was found guilty of murder. Two others were convicted of manslaughter and a 16-year-old was convicted of perverting the course of justice. Police said the murder was ‘purely’ racial.

07/01, Sharon Bubb, 30, Bow, East London

Tortured and had her throat cut by 26-year-old Scottish man George McMaster. He was jailed for life after admitting her manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. When arrested he said ‘It was because she was Black’.

08/01, Firsat Dag, 22, Glasgow

Asylum seeker dispersed to notorious Sighthill estate where he was stabbed to death as he returned home. In December 2001, Scott Burrell was found guilty of his murder and jailed for life. The judge rejected any racial motivation in the case. In August 2003, the compensation awarded to Firsat’s family was halved because Firsat allegedly used a false name on his asylum application.

09/01, Ross Parker, 17, Peterborough

A White youth attacked by a gang of Asians in Peterborough as he walked home with his girlfriend. In December 2002, Shaied Nazir, 22, Ahmed Ali Awan, 22, and Sarfraz Ali, 25, were all found guilty of murder and sentenced to life for what the judge termed a ‘racist killing’. In February 2004, Ross’ family condemned the fascist National Front for using ‘his name for political gains’ as the NF held a wreath-laying ceremony at the spot where Ross was murdered.

05/02, Frankie Kyriacou, 19, Kentish Town, London

A young Turkish-Cypriot died two hours after being stabbed outside his home. In 2002, John Geaney was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment. The court was told how Geaney had wanted a fight and had stood outside the home of Frankie Kyriacou goading the young man and his brother. When they emerged from the house, the two were stabbed. Though Geaney had been heard making disparaging comments about Turkish people, the judge ruled that the attack was not racially motivated. In May 2007, Geaney was sentenced to serve at least 12 years.

08/02, Peiman Bahmani, 28, Sunderland

Iranian asylum seeker stabbed after a racist attack in Hendon. Police arrested three people soon after the murder. In February 2003, 18-year-old Steven Roberts was jailed for life for his murder.

09/02, Shah Wahab, 37, Southampton

Died two days after suffering serious head injuries after an unprovoked attack while waiting for a bus in Southampton. In November 2003, Andrew Green admitted manslaughter and was sentenced to one years imprisonment.

10/02, Derrick Shaw, 21, Redhill, Surrey

Died five days after being fatally brain damaged after he was punched to the ground in a racist attack outside a take-away. 26-year-old James Green was charged with manslaughter and racially aggravated grevious bodily harm and threatening behaviour. The trial in June 2003 heard that Green, who was trained in martial arts, had been ‘fired up for a fight’ and had made racist comments. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision and Green, who denied the charges and claimed he acted in self-defence, was ordered to face a retrial. In December 2003, Green walked free from court after a second jury failed to agree a verdict.

12/02 Israr Hussain, 42, Glodwick, Oldham

A father of six from Glodwick, Oldham, who died after a stab wound to his neck following an incident in his taxi in the early hours of 28 December 2002. Paul Craig, 46, of Higginshaw, Oldham, was charged with the murder, assault and intent to rob. In July 2003, Craig was convicted of murder and told he must serve at least 16 years.

02/03, Mohammed Isa Hasan Ali, 22, Southampton

An Afghani asylum seeker died two days after being attacked by a man in Southampton. After the attack, Mohammed managed to make his way home, told his housemates what had happened and then went to bed, not realising the extent of his injuries. He was taken to Southampton General hospital where he died. A post mortem found that he died from a fractured skull. Alexander Briant was found guilty of manslaughter in December 2003.

03/03, Asian man, 51, Catford, South-East London

A man died after an unprovoked attack. He was standing at a bus stop when two men and a woman approached him. He was racially abused and then hit three times with a silver-coloured, foot-long blunt weapon. He received stitches to his face and head at hospital and was later released, but died twelve days later, according to police, from ’causes unrelated to the incident’.

04/03, Paul Rosenberg, 56, Isle of Wight

A South African taxi-driver working in the Isle of Wight was attacked and stamped to death by a passenger. Paul was a South African who arrived in the UK in 1951 and moved to the Isle of Wight in 1996 or 1997. The court was told that passenger Arnold punched Paul twelve times with ‘severe force’ before stealing his cash bag containing £300. Wendy Nolan, a friend of Arnold’s, told the court that Arnold told her: ‘I think I have killed the bloke. I only did it because he is Black. He looked dead. I think he’s dead. I kicked him.’ She, in turn, was so disturbed by what she had been told that she drove to where Arnold told her the attack took place and found Paul’s body. Paramedics were called and battled for 20 minutes to save him before he was declared dead. In May 2004, Arnold was sentenced to life for his murder and ordered that he serve a minimum of 11 years and 341 days. Det. Insp. Jason Hogg commented: ‘We are very pleased with the verdict. We feel justice has been done. This was a dreadful attack, made particularly horrible by the fact that there was a racist element.’ In April 2005, after an appeal, Arnold’s minimum tariff was reduced to just under 10 years.

05/03, Johnny Delaney, 14, Ellesmere Port, Liverpool

Johnny, who was from a Traveller family, was found with serious head injuries in a field and later died in hospital. In November 2003, the trial began at Chester Crown Court of two 16-year old boys charged with murder. One of the boys was allegedly heard to say that Johnny deserved it because ‘he was only a f**king Gypsy’. The two boys, who tried to blame one another, were found not guilty of murder, but guilty of manslaughter. The Judge, Mr Justice Richards, told the court he did not believe the attack was racially motivated. However, the police said after the verdict that the murder had been investigated as racially motivated because of the use of racist language. Johnny’s father, Patrick Delaney, commented, ‘There is no justice here. They were kicking my son like a football. Are they going to let this happen to another Gypsy?.. As far as we’re concerned it was a racist attack.’

06/03, Awais Alam, 45, Leyton, North-East London

This father of three was attacked by two White men on the busy Walthamstow High Street and later died. He allegedly confronted the men after they made racist comments. They then knocked him down and kicked him as he lay on the ground. Police were treating the attack as racially motivated.

11/03, Quadir Ahmed, 59, Ruislip, west London

An Indian restaurant owner died nearly a month after suffering head injuries in a racist attack outside his restaurant in Eastcote Village near Ruislip, west London. In September 2004, 19-year-old Daniel Palmer was jailed for life for Quadir’s murder. The court was told that Palmer and his gang had been throwing eggs at the Zhai restaurant on Halloween night and Quadir and his brother came out to remonstrate with the gang. Palmer attacked him with an estate agent’s ‘for sale’ sign. The gang were heard mimicking Asian accents and Palmer ran off laughing, boasting that he had broken Quadir’s nose. Palmer was sentenced to a minimum of twelve years.

03/04, Kriss Donald, 15, Glasgow, Scotland

Kriss Donald was walking through Pollockshields when a gang of Asian men snatched him from the street. His badly beaten body was found 16 hours later on waste ground. The attack allegedly took place after another man, known only as ‘X’, swore revenge after being attacked in a nightclub with a bottle. On 18 November 2004, 20-year-old Daanish Zahid was found guilty by a unanimous verdict of racially aggravated murder, abduction and of attempting to defeat the ends of justice by destroying evidence by setting fire to the car used to snatch Kriss. He was sentenced to serve a minimum of 17 years. Daanish Zahid lodged a special defence incriminating ‘X’ and another person who cannot be legally identified. 20-year-old Zahid Mohammed’s not guilty plea to the murder charge was accepted on the first day of the trial; however he did admit abducting Kriss and was sentenced to five years.

04/04, Shahid Aziz, 30, Leeds

Shahid was murdered by his cellmate, Peter McCann, in Leeds prison. Evidence showed that he was attacked from behind, his throat was cut and he was hit repeatedly with a chair leg as he lay dying. He alleged that he had been attacked first but he did not suffer any defence injuries. Police and the CPS alleged the murder was not racially motivated. McCann had previously attacked other prisoners and had objected to Shahid using his own language and having to share a cell with an Asian but he denied being racist. Shahid had previously made allegations of racism at the prison and these, along with those of twenty others, mainly Black and Minority Ethnic, current or former prisoners at Leeds, were collected and submitted to the Commission for Racial Equality, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman and the Prison Service. In Juyly 2004, McCann pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a 12 year tariff. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Dossier reveals failure to investigate complaints of racism at Leeds Prison’).

04/04, Akberali Tayabali Mohamedally, 80, Northolt, west London

An elderly Pakistani man wasattacked at the White Hart roundabout subway in Northolt, west London, and taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police said they were treating the attack as racially motivated. Two youths were arrested and one was later charged with his murder. Michael Evans, 17, and James Carney, 20, were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten years each.

04/04, Brij Brushan Sharma, 37, Moneymore, Northern Ireland

Following a dispute on the street, an Indian shopkeeper, who was visiting his girlfriend in the town of Moneymore, was punched and hit his head on the road. He died two days later of severe head injuries. In December 2005, Stephen McGlone pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 17 months. His brother Mark, who had said ‘he’s only a P**i bas***d’, pleaded guilty to attempted intimidation and received a hundred hours community service. The court did not regard the attack as racially motivated. In June 2006 the family made a complaint to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. A report sent to the family in July 2007 found that mistakes has been made: the prosecuting authority failed to take into account that racist remarks were made; an earlier incident involving the defendant was not taken into account; a pathologists report had found that Brij had been felled with two punches, yet the PPS prosecution and sentencing was based on a single punch killing. The report also recommended that two police officers (an investigating officer and the a family liaison officer) be disciplined regarding failings in the case, recommendations that were accepted by the Professional Standards Department of the PSNI. In April 2009, on the fifth anniversary of the murder, Brij’s family held a press conference to call for a pubic inquiry into institutional racism within the criminal justice system.

05/04, Bapishankar Kathirgamanathan, 24, Ashford, Kent

A Sri Lankan-born restaurant worker died two weeks after being racially attacked in Ashford, Kent. Bapishankar suffered serious head injuries after he and a friend were racially attacked on a footbridge in Victoria Road on 22 April 2001. Two men, James Rossiter, 22, and Tony Pile, 18, were charged with murder and remanded into custody. In July 2004, the men were convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 25 years. In October 2005, the Court of Appeal reduced the sentences from 25 years to 21 years, saying that the trial judges failed to take into account the men’s ages and that the reduction did not diminish the ‘horrific’ crime.

09/04, Kalan Kawa Karim, 29, Swansea

An Iraqi asylum seeker died in hospital after being attacked by a White man outside a pub in Swansea. Kalan was disabled – he had lost a leg below the knee after being tortured in Iraq. He came to the UK to seek asylum in 2002 and had been living in Swansea. Kalan was walking home with a friend when three men attacked them; Kalan was punched in the back of the head and taken to Morriston hospital, where he later died. Police treated the attack as racially motivated. Eight days after his murder, 26-year-old Lee Mordecai was charged with Kalan’s murder. In February 2005, Mordecai admitted manslaughter and was jailed for five years.

01/05, Deraye Lewis, 3, Bletchley, Buckinghamshire

A 3-year-old boy died after being beaten by 36-year-old Nicholas Halling, the boyfriend of his Black mother Donna Humphrey. On the day of the death, police were called to the couple’s home in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, after Halling assaulted Donna. However, once officers arrived Donna refused to make a complaint and they were unable to take further action despite seeing Deraye crying. A court was told that Deraye had suffered a perforated ear drum, seventy-three other injuries and had been burned with cigarettes. On the day of his death, he had suffered a blow to his abdomen that split his duodenum, poisoning his blood system. The court was also told that Halling had referred to the little boy as ‘Black ba***rd’ and wrote ‘n**ger’ on him in felt pen. Deraye was even forced to repeat these words. In April 2006, Halling was jailed for life with a recommendation that he serve at least twenty years.

04/05, Mi Gao Huang Chen, 41, Wigan

A Chinese takeaway owner was murdered in a gang attack by over twenty youths in Wigan. The murder came after a long campaign of racial harassment suffered by Mi Gao Huang Chen and his partner, Eileen Jia, who alleged that the police failed to take their reports of racist harassment seriously. She had also been charged with assault and affray after defending herself. Six teenagers have been charged with murder and others, aged between 14 and 17, have also been charged with various offences including affray and violent disorder in connection with the incident that led to his death. In December 2005, Anthony Dunleavy, Joe Sankey, Jason Hughes and Jamie Stephens, who were aged 15 and 16 at the time of the murder, were sentenced to up to ten years. The judge described the group as acting ‘far worse than a pack of wild dogs’. Mi Gao’s partner, Eileen, accused the police of failing to prevent the racist murder that was precipitated by a campaign of harassment on the couple’s takeaway. The police denied the murder was racially motivated.

06/05, Mugilan Sutherman, 43, Failsworth, Oldham

A kitchen-fitter who had come to the UK from Singapore was beaten to death by a gang of youths when he failed to give them a light for a cigarette. In January 2006, Guy Richardson, 18, and two unnamed 17-year-olds pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were told they faced substantial custodial sentences. Mugilan, also known as ‘Muggy’, was attacked after going to visit a friend in a local takeaway. A witness said Muggy was called ‘some names’ and then knocked to the ground with his head ‘kicked like a football’. Guy Richardson, 18, was served an indeterminate sentence because of his ‘significant risk to the public’, having to serve at least two years 107 days before being considered for parole. Kyle Bardsley, 18 and James Finnigan, 17, were sentenced to four years nine months.

07/05, Kamal Raza Butt, 48, Nottingham

A Pakistani man found unconscious outside a shop in Nottingham was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. It is thought that he refused demands for cigarettes from a gang of youths who then racially abused him and punched him to the ground. It is alleged he was called ‘Taliban’ during the attack. In April 2006, 17-year-old youth, Mardell Pennant, was sentenced to an 18 months’ detention and training order in a young offenders’ institute after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of Kamal in a joint enterprise with another youth, against whom charges were dropped. Detective Chief Insp Russ Foster commented after the plea that ‘no evidence was found to suggest Mr Butt was targeted due to his race or religious belief’. (Read an IRR News story: ’18-month sentence for manslaughter of Pakistani man’)

07/05, Anthony Walker, 17, Liverpool

Anthony, his 17-year-old girlfriend and a cousin, Marcus Binns, also 17, were waiting at a bus stop in Huyton, Merseyside, when they were subjected to racist abuse. They decided to move to another bus stop and took a short cut through a park. They were followed to the park by a White gang who attacked Anthony. Anthony’s girlfriend and cousin went for help and, when they returned, found Anthony attacked with an axe that was left embedded in his skull. He was taken to hospital where he later died. Police have arrested a number of men and have also named another two men wanted in connection with the murder who are thought to have fled the country. The murder was treated as racially motivated. In December 2005, Paul Taylor, 20, pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to serve at least 24 years. Michael Barton, 17, was found guilty at trial and sentenced to serve a minimum of 18 years. On sentencing the men, the judge commented ‘ this was racist thuggery of a type that is poisonous to any civilised society’. In July 2006, Paul Taylor had his appeal against his sentence thrown out by the Court of Appeal.

09/05, Rushi Kamdar, 23, Coventry

Rushi Kamdar, who had come from India to work in the UK in 2004, was kicked and stamped to death in a Coventry street. The prosecution alleged that the attack was motivated by robbery and racism. Luke Mozid, 18, was found guilty of his murder and sentenced in June 2006 to 15years for murder and a concurrent sentence of five years for robbery.

10/05, Isiah Young-Sam, 23, Birmingham

A man died after being stabbed in the chest in Lozells, Birmingham. The incident happened during disturbances in Birmingham between African-Caribbean and Asian youths following unsubstantiated allegations that a young African-Caribbean girl had been sexually assaulted by Asians. In May 2006, Waqar Ahmed, 26, Azhil Khan, 23, and Afzal Khan, 22, were found guilty of racially aggravated murder, the judge ordering that they serve a minimum of 25 years. The men were also found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm on Locksley Byfield, Isiah’s friend, and sentenced to 10 years – to run concurrently. In December 2008, the three men won appeals against their convictions. In July 2009, a jury at a second trial was unable to reach a verdict and in February 2010 at a third trial the three men were found not guilty of murder and wounding with intent.

03/06, Lee Phipps, 31, South Shields, Tyneside

He died of stab wounds on the doorstep of a house in South Shields, close to the home that he shared with his half-Somali mother, Barbara Yusef Porter, who had suffered years of racist abuse from local gangs. Lee had tried to stand up to the gangs and had been beaten while trying to take pictures of the racist thugs abusing him and his mother. Scott Nicholas, 21, was later arrested and charged with murder and in January 2007, he was jailed for life after pleading guilty to murder, with a recommendation that he serve at least 22 years. Police said that they could not prove there was any racist motive behind the attack and that robbery had been the motive. Before his murder, Lee’s mother made hundreds of complaints to police about racial abuse. After the murder, Northumbria Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Mathieson reviewed the allegations and decided that at least one attack had been racially motivated. An Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation found that Northumbria police had acted appropriately in their dealings with Barbara Yusef Porter after being accused of racism.

04/06, Christopher Alaneme, 18, Sheerness, Kent

Christopher died after being stabbed while on a night out with friends in Sheerness, Kent. According to evidence that emerged at the trial in December 2007, a racist remark was made about Christopher (who was Black and over six foot tall). Christopher’s friends objected and remonstrated with a group of about fifteen youths. One threw a punch at Christopher, others threw a beer bottle and pint glass, which missed their targets. Members of the gang then chased Christopher, who, with hands in a defensive posture, was backed into a grassy area with a wall behind him. He was punched in the head, fell to the ground, where he was then stabbed. A White man was also attacked after seeing the commotion and going to Christopher’s aid. Peter Connolly was sentenced to life – with a minimum term of fifteen years in prison. Although there were racial connotations to the events of 21 April, and there was no dispute that racist remarks had been made, the judge, who could have imposed an additional tariff for racial aggravation, determined at a sentencing hearing that this was not a clear racial crime. Because the remarks had not been uttered by Connolly and Connolly had gone on to attack a White man, the judge could not be satisfied that racism was the specific motivation in the murder. (Read an IRR News Story: ‘White man sentenced for murder’)

04/06, Khizar Hyat, 40s, London

05/06, Hamidullah Hamidi, 31, London

Two shop workers were injured in a racist firebomb attack on their shop in Kennington, south London. Khizar Hyat died after being trapped in his shop. His colleague died in hospital nearly a month later from injuries sustained during the arson attack. On 4 May 2006, 32-year-old Robert Torto appeared before Greenwich magistrates charged with murder. In July 2007, a judge ordered that he be detained at Broadmoor Hospital indefinitely after he pleaded guilty to three counts of arson with intent to endanger life on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He also pleaded guilty to a further count of arson at a Tulse Hill newsagent. Judge Peter Beaumont ordered Torto be detained for an indefinite period. Police officers found a handwritten note detailing different bombs and targets, including gay clubs, hospitals carrying out sex changes and non-Christian religious institutions.

07/06, Mohammed Pervaiz, 41, Huddersfield

An Asian taxi driver died from head injuries after a racist gang attack in the Golcar area of Huddersfield. In January 2007, the trial of Christopher Murphy and Michael Hand, both 19, Graeme Slavin, 18, and Steven Utley, 17, who denied charges of murder, was told by an unnamed 17-year old how they had planned the ambush of a taxi driver in revenge for an earlier incident during which a scooter had been damaged. Other witnesses told the court of racist language and how Mohammed was attacked by a gang of men like a ‘pack of wolves’. During the trial, Hand changed his plea to guilty but in February, Murphy, Slavin and Utley were found guilty of racially aggravated murder after a six-week trial at Leeds Crown Court. Murphy and Hand were ordered to serve at least 25 and 21 years as ringleaders of the attack and Slavin and Utley were given 17 year minimum terms. Michael Beeby, 16, and Jason Harris, 17, were cleared of murder and manslaughter, but convicted of violent disorder receiving ten-and eight-month detention and training orders respectively. In October 2009, Christopher Murphy failed on appeal to get his sentence reduced.

07/06, Changez Arif, 33, Manchester

Changez was found stabbed to death in an alleyway near his home in Cheetham Hill, Manchester. Police ruled out racial motivation saying the attack was a revenge attack. In January 2007, Michael Skeffington, 19, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he serve 15 years for stabbing Changez five times in revenge after losing a fight. The case was only allowed to be reported in July 2007 after Skeffington pleaded guilty to another assault along with his twin brother David following an attack on another Asian – again involving a knife. In September 2003, Skeffington had been given a two-year ASBO by Manchester magistrates after being accused of racist behaviour which banned him from entering an area of Cheetham Hill.

07/06, Shezan Umarji, 20, Preston

Shezan was kicked in the head and stabbed thirteen times in a brawl between dozens of Asian and White men. With his jugular vein severed and a stabbing through the heart, he was later pronounced dead at hospital. In December 2007, Liam McKerney, 21, was found guilty of manslaughter at Preston Crown Court in a majority verdict and two other men – his brother Kieran and friend Lee Moore – were cleared of murder and manslaughter. Originally the case was treated by the police as racially motivated as racist epithets were heard during the attack, the words ‘Pakistani b******s’ were used. Despite the prosecution alleging that race was a factor in the case, Recorder of Preston, Judge Anthony Russell, QC, decided that ‘this city does not suffer from racial disharmony’. The offence, he said, was not racially motivated. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Eight-year sentence for killing’)

08/06 Wei Wang, 41, Glasgow

A Chinese asylum seeker died in hospital twelve days after being attacked in a ‘totally unprovoked’ attack just yards from his home in the Sighthill area of Glasgow. He had been in the Glasgow area for three months after being dispersed from London. A 19-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with the murder. In May 2007, Paul Brown was sentenced to life imprisonment (at least 17 years) for murder. The court was told that Brown struck Wei over the head with a bottle and then rifled through his pockets, as he lay unconscious, stealing his wallet. Another man, Mark Kerr, 18, was sentenced to four years and six months after pleading guilty to reduced charges of serious assault in exchange for his testimony against Brown.

11/06, Syed Sorafot Ali, 76, Sunderland

A grandfather collapsed and died after suffering a suspected heart attack in the street after running to his daughter’s home which had been torched in a racist arson attack in Sunderland. Four people, including a 14-year-old boy, were arrested and later bailed in connection with the arson attack, with no further action being taken against them.

11/06, Meshack Brown, 20, Newtown, Birmingham

The shooting in Birmingham of Brown appeared to be in retaliation after two Asian men were stabbed by a group of Black men, in the Lozells area of Birmingham. Meshack, who had had absolutely nothing to do with the earlier incident, but just happened to be Black, was gunned down outside his twentieth birthday party. In December 2008, three Asian men were found guilty of the murder, after two earlier trials had been unable to reach a verdict. Judge Justice Burton told one assailant: ‘you were involved in an offence which I am quite satisfied was racially aggravated … You were to find a black man who could carry the can for other black men who had caused injury to your friends and relatives.’ All the men were jailed for life with the judge recommending that Asif Nadeem, 27, serve a minimum of 26 years and Mahtab Azam, 21, and Mohammed Asif, 21, serve a minimum of 23 years. (The police are still searching for the man thought to have pulled the trigger, 27-year-old Kadeer Hussain, who went to Pakistan following the murder. ) In February 2010, the three men had their convictions for murder overturned after they were ruled unsafe and they were replaced with convictions for violent disorder. The court found that none of the three had fired the fatal shot, nor did they necessarily know that Kadeer Hussain had a shotgun. They were re-sentenced to 4 years. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Brutal deaths have racial element’)

03/07, Enayit Khalili, 26, Oxford

Afghan refugee who died after being stabbed in the stomach on the doorstep of his home in Oxford. Enayit was killed by a single stab wound to his stomach, delivered with such force that the blade exited his back. The knife went through his pancreas, stomach and two major veins. Enayit ‘s housemates told the court that Enayit told them days before he died about arguing with neighbours after something was thrown into their house. The killer, Martin Joyce, 22, who was described by his sister-in-law as a ‘real psychopath’, had previously threatened to ‘kill that foreigner one day’. The court was told that before the murder Joyce was seen arguing with a man on his doorstep. In November 2008, he was convicted of murder and given a life sentence with a recommendation that he serve at least 15 years. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Brutal deaths have racial element’)

05/07, Tarsen Nahar, 44, west London

Tarsen Nahar, (aka ‘Cookie’), was found dead in Hayes on 19 May 2007. Daryl O’Connor, 18, was found guilty of murder and of aggravated bodily harm. The court was told in an unprovoked attack, O’Connor and his friends had been heard to say ‘We don’t like n*****s in our park’. O’Connor, who was 17 at the time of the murder, is said to have beaten Tarsen to the ground and then kicked him in the head, as the gang stole his phone and wallet. Tarsen was able to make his way to a friend’s house where he collapsed. Local police said the murder was investigated as racially motivated and that O’Connor was initially charged with racially aggravated ABH (as well as murder), however the ‘racially aggravated’ rider was dropped. In July 2008 O’Connor was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 13 years. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Convictions in three Black murder cases’)

05/07, Marlon Moran, 21, Liverpool

A man described as ‘mixed race’ was stabbed to death in Garston after being subjected to a months-long campaign of racist abuse. Four people were charged with murder: three 18-year-olds, Daniel Masher, Callum Kennedy, Jordan Crawford and a 16-year-old. In December 2007, Liverpool Crown Court was told how on the day of the murder the gang arrived armed with weapons, shouting racist abuse and threatening Marlon. Marlon, with a hockey stick to defend him, began to walk towards the gang who retreated into Masher’s home. The gang then re-emerged and Marlon was stabbed. Daniel Masher was convicted of manslaughter (saying he acted in self-defence) and three others – Callum Kennedy, Jordan Crawford and the unnamed 16-year-old boy – were cleared of all charges. Masher was jailed indefinitely for public protection with a minimum sentence of three and a half years.

08/07 Adam Michalski, 24, Wrexham

Adam Michalski, a Polish migrant worker, was stabbed to death in a Wrexham street as he tried to get away from his assailant. In December 2007, Thomas Blue, 25, was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 17 years to be served, after being found guilty of the murder which he said was in self defence. The trial was told how he abused Adam for being Polish and then later stabbed him four times. The judge said he was satisfied that there was a racist element.

10/07 Gregory Fernandes, 32, Fawley, Hampshire

This Indian sailor from Goa died after being attacked by a gang in Fawley Hampshire. He and a shipmate were returning to their ship berthed at Fawley oil refinery when they were met by a 20-strong gang. They were first attacked outside a hotel and then again further down the road. A passer-by, Jody Miles, broke up the fight and took Gregory back to the docks where he collapsed and died from a heart attack as a result of the stress. His friend Pitchilnaviram suffered a broken collarbone. Police said that Gregory was attacked because of his race. Ten teenagers, aged 13-17, were arrested on suspicion of murder, GBH and violent disorder and later released on bail. In January 2008, the Fernandes family expressed concern at the police investigation and the failure to charge anyone in connection with his death. Later three young boys were charged with murder. At their trial, in February 2009, the three admitted lesser charges of manslaughter. In March 2009, Stephen Pritchard, 18, Daniel Rogers, 18 and Chay Fields, 16 were sentenced to six-and a half years in prison. A 15-year-old boy admitted GBH on Pitchilnaviram and given a 12-month detention and training order. Another 15-year-old who also admitted assault was given a 18-month supervision order.

12/07, Ahmed Hassan, 17, Dewsbury

This student died after being stabbed in the back after an unprovoked attack at Dewsbury train station as he waited for a train to go shopping for Eid presents. Two people – Michael Brook, 18, and a 17-year-old – were charged with his murder. In June 2008, Brook was jailed for a minimum of fourteen years for murder. The court was told that Brook arrived at Dewsbury train station with friend Anthony Sorren, both having been drinking all morning. They were harassing passengers at the station and Sorren approached Ahmed and his friends and asked them what they were looking at. Ahmed attempted to defuse the situation but an altercation ensued, Sorren threw a punch and Brook stabbed Ahmed. Brook had initially claimed that Ahmed or his friends had attacked him with a knife first but later retracted this. His defence barrister argued that the attack was not racially motivated but, rather, ‘drink-fuelled, mindless violence with a lethal weapon’. Brook pleaded guilty to murder and murder charges against Sorren were dropped (through lack of evidence) and he admitted affray and was given a four-month detention and training order. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Convictions in three Black murder cases’)

12/07, Asaf Mahmood Ahmed, 28, Bolton

This father of three died from severe head injuries after an attack as he went to shops by his home near Derby Ward Labour Club in Bolton. After carrying out a drunken assault on another man, two youths attacked Asaf, who died from an asthma attack after the two kicked and punched him to the ground before jumping and stamping on his head. The older youth even returned to continue the assault and kicked Asaf’s inhaler out of his hand. Asaf’s face was left so bloodied that a woman who came to his assistance after seeing the attack could not tell the colour of his skin until she picked up his hand to check for a pulse. Jason Bolton, 18, and a 15-year-old boy were accused of murder. Police said the attack was being treated as racially motivated after racist abuse was heard. The CPS did not prosecute the murder as racially motivated and told the court that ‘the probable motive was to inflict random violence whether to a white man … or to an Asian man … But it is clear that Jason Bolton has a very nasty attitude to Asian people which no doubt added fuel to his attack on Mr Ahmed.’ The judge ruled that the 15-year-old should serve a minimum of 13 and Bolton a minimum of 17 years. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Brutal deaths have racial element’)

06/08, Hamida Begum, 71 and Alana Mian, 4, Great Lever, Bolton

A grandmother and her granddaughter died in an arson attack when a wheelie bin was set alight outside a house in Bolton. Saima Mian, who was visiting her parents in the UK from Australia, was seriously injured in the fire, suffering burns to her face and stomach. Fire fighters suggested the fire was deliberately set. A reconstruction on BBC Crimewatch, in January 2010 where police officers suggested the motive was racist, resulted in new leads.

08/08, Nilanthan Moorthy, 17, Croydon

A young Sri Lankan student was stabbed to death following an altercation in a Croydon street with 31-year-old Steven Braithwaite. Nilanthan, a little drunk after celebrating the birthday of a friend in Croydon, started arguments with passers-by. Brathwaite passed by in a taxi and was heard to racially abuse the group, calling out ‘P**is’, Nilanthan, upset by the abuse attempted (but failed) to pull Braithwaite from his cab. Twenty minutes later, Braithwaite returned and resumed the argument with Nilanthan, stabbing him in the neck. Nilanthan died at the scene. In June 2009, Braithwaite was found guilty and sentenced to life for murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 19 years.

08/08, Mohammed al-Majed, 16, Hastings

An Arab student from Qatar, studying English at a foreign language school in Hastings, died from serious head injuries after being set upon by a gang of drunken youths shouting racist abuse. The gang began by racially abusing Peter Henworth, a Black South African student, by calling him a ‘n****r’and throwing a punch at him. Mohammed and other friends witnessed the altercation from a takeaway and came out of the kebab shop to run away and avoid any further violence. But the gang insisted on a fight and a single punch knocked Mohammed to the ground where he fractured his skull – dying three days later. 14-year-old Mojeb Qatani was attacked with a bottle. In November 2009, George Austin (who delivered the fatal punch) was jailed for four and a half years. Paul Rockett was sentenced to four months for racially aggravated common assault and Alexander Quinn received two years for wounding Mojeb. In November 2009, Austin’s mother pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice – for telling lies to police and helping her son flee the country, and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, 200 hours unpaid work, and ordered to pay £2,000 costs. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Racist murderer and accomplices convicted’)

01/09, Syden Pearson, 26, Durrington, Sussex

Died after being stabbed five times in the chest and stomach during a street fight in west Sussex. Trouble started after Kai Orgles, 19, and two of his friends were asked to leave a house where Syden Pearson and a friend were also visiting. Orgles racially abused Syden before running at him and attacking. Kai Orgles was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 15 years.

02/10, Papa Mbaye Mody (aka Alioune Cisse),

Papa Mbaye Mody (aka Alioune Cisse), a 30-year-old asylum seeker from Senegal living in the Benwell area of Newcastle, died three days after being attacked by a group of teens. After asking the group for a cigarette, he was stamped on, punched and kicked in the head and chest. Forensic experts found three sets of shoe imprints on his body, and he died of massive head injuries that were likened to those sustained in a car crash. As Papa Mody was lying unconscious on the ground, one of the teens returned to spit on him, kick him once more and say ‘Next time I’ll kill you’. Papa Mody sustained more than forty injuries in the attack. Three teens, aged 17, 15, and 13, were charged with murder and tried at Newcastle crown court; they all denied the charges. The eldest, Andrew Spence, admitted taking part in the attack but denied inflicting fatal injuries – he said in court he was defending himself and that the 15-year-old had stamped on the victim’s head. There was a mention in one news report that Spence was abusive to the victim, but he denied prosecution claims that he was racist. The 15-year-old, in turn, claimed he did not touch the victim and was only watching while Spence punched, stamped on and kicked Papa Mody. He claimed he did not expect his friend to do that and that he tried to stop him. On 27 August 2010, Andrew Spence and the 13-year-old were found guilty of murder and manslaughter respectively. Spence was jailed for a minimum of eleven years. The 15-year-old was cleared of any involvement in the attack. The 13-year-old was sentenced to five years, but in January 2011 won a reduction in his sentence to three and a half years after an appeal court judge ruled it ‘manifestly excessive’. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Racist murders and possible racist murders’)

03/09, Kunal Mohanty, 30, Glasgow

Indian sailor died after his throat was slit in a street attack. Kunal, in the city to sit exams at the Nautical College, for promotion to sea captain, was on his way to get a meal with three friends. Christopher Miller approached the four and asked for a cigarette and then, after calling Kunal ‘black b*****d’, produced a knife and slashed Kunal across the throat. Miller was also later heard to boast to having ‘done a P**i’. The court was told by a consultant that the 18-centimetre wound to Kunal’s neck was ‘one of the worst I’d ever seen’. Miller, 25, denied charges of racially aggravated murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice and acting in a racially aggravated manner. A jury unanimously found him guilty and the judge sentenced him to serve at least 18 years in prison. (The court was also told that he had previous convictions for racially aggravated offences.)

04/09 Roman Romasov, 28, Aberdeen

A Lithuanian national who was stabbed to death at a Sainsbury’s supermarket by a work colleague and BNP member. Robert McCulloch, was sentenced to at least 10 years and 9 months in prison. Romasov’s family sued Sainsbury’s claiming that Romasov’s employer had failed to take action to protect the victim, even though Romasov had complained to his manager about racist comments from McCulloch. A verdict on this has yet to be reached.

07/09 Marek Muszynski, 40, Newry, Northern Ireland

A Polish man died after being attacked in the street in Newry, Northern Ireland. He was allegedly taunted with ‘Go back to your own country, you’re not wanted in Ireland,’ and then savagely beaten and robbed. A man and a woman have been charged with murder.

09/09, Ekram Haque, 67, Tooting, south London

This retired man died a week after being attacked by a Black gang outside his local mosque after evening prayers. He suffered head injuries in the attack (which is thought to have been racist).His 3-year-old granddaughter who was with him at the time of the attack was unharmed. Three young people aged 14 and 15 have been charged with GBH with intent and murder. And a 12-year-old has been charged with conspiracy to commit GBH and two counts of assault. The attack followed other assaults on elderly Asians near the mosque.

05/10, Marcin Bilaszewski, 19, Wood Green, London

A Polish teenager died after being stabbed outside Finsbury park tube station. His attacker, Alphonse Kruizinga, was said to be racist towards Polish people in particular and blamed Poland for the Second World War. He was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to five years.

05/10, Mohammed Idris Mirza, 47, Edinburgh

Mohammed, a 47-year-old Pakistani man who had lived in Stenhouse Gardens North, in Edinburgh, for fifteen years, had previously argued with his neighbour over the issue of his dog fouling their common garden. In December 2010, Mustafa Elsherkisi, 40, from Libya, was convicted of the racially aggravated murder of his neighbour. Edinburgh High Court was told how Elsherkisi, who denied the charges, had shouted racist abuse during the argument (‘P*** bastard’). He had said that he had been carrying a knife for protection and that it was ‘a terrible accident’. Elsherkisi was sentenced to life, and told he must serve fifteen years in prison before the possibility of release. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Racist murders and possible racist murders’)

07/10 Kester David, 53, Palmers Green, North London

A bus driver, who was found burned to death under railway arches at Palmers Green underground station. An initial Metropolitan police investigation recorded the death as suicide. However David’s family believes that he may have been murdered because he was a police informer. The family also had concerns that the police failed to conduct a proper investigation because he was black. A first internal police report found ‘a failing in duty’ by the police and found a vast array of errors in the original investigation. David’s family further complained that no disciplinary action was taken against the police officers found to be at fault.

08/10, Nachhattar Singh Bola, 26, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Indian man Nachhattar Bola who was visiting friends in Renfrewshire, Scotland for a few months, was attacked on 2 July 2010. He was chased and then attacked by youths as he walked down a Renfrew street. The group kicked and beat him, knocking him unconscious, stamping on his head and body. He was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, where he remained in intensive care for five weeks until he died on 6 August 2010. Two 16-year-olds were initially arrested for attempted murder. The charge was changed upon Nachhattar’s death to racially aggravated murder, which they were formally charged with when they appeared in private at Paisley Sheriff Court on 16 August 2010. In January 2011, three young men – Dillon Cherrie (16), Dean Logan (16) and Stewart Patterson (20) – all pleaded guilty to murder and were sentenced to life imprisonment, with Cherrie and Logan ordered to serve at least nine years and Patterson ordered to serve at least ten and a half years. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Racist murders and possible racist murders’)

08/10, Simon San, 44, Edinburgh

Simon was originally from Vietnam and worked as a delivery driver for the family takeaway, Yong Hua Garden, on Lochend Road, Edinburgh. A gang attacked Simon as he returned from a delivering a takeaway. A group of young people surrounded his car with him still inside and began to rock the vehicle. San made an emergency call while still in the car. When he managed to get out, he was forced back and punched once in the face – he fell directly backwards, hitting his head on the pavement. He died the following day from a fractured skull and internal bleeding. In September 2010, John Reid, 16, pleaded guilty to culpable homicide and was later sentenced to five years’ detention. His solicitor said Reid maintained there was never any racial element to the attack. In December, two more 16-year-olds, Michael Roberts and Keir Rodger, were sentenced to 42 months and 34 months respectively after pleading guilty to assaulting Simon. Roberts also admitted stealing Simon’s mobile phone, car keys and failing to appear in court. Simon’s family have lodged an official complaint about the police, saying they had alerted the police on a number of occasions prior to Simon’s death that he and other delivery staff were being targeted by youths. A spokesperson from the Procurator Fiscal’s Office told IRR News that there was no direct evidence of racism in the specific incident on 11 August but that Simon’s family felt that previous incidents had not been dealt with and that the family took the view that the attack was racially motivated. (Read an IRR News story: ‘Racist murders and possible racist murders’)

12/10 Inderjit Singh, 36, Bedford

Singh, of Indian origin, was stabbed to death on Christmas morning by BNP supporter, David Folley. Singh had mistakenly knocked on Folley’s door while looking for a friend’s address and was stabbed to death on the landing. David Folley, 35, was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was also found guilty of ABH for assaulting another man in prison while awaiting trial.

09/11 Stainton Barrett

Died after being crushed by a car in Wolverhampton. A fight was sparked after Stainton Barrett’s brother asked for a light from a group of men who had just driven up to the pub outside which he was standing. The group in the car racially abused the brothers. A fight erupted and Stainton Barrett died after being crushed by a car that was reversed up the street at him. Anthony Benson received a six-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving and six others received various sentences for their involvement ranging from 18-months to four years. One of the men, Andrew Currien, was later revealed to be a bodyguard for the EDL leadership.

10/11 Manzoor Ahmed, 67, Glasgow

Was one of six men assaulted by two white men and one white woman at a grocery store in Glasgow.  He was punched on the head and knocked to the ground by the three, and died a week later of a heart attack in hospital. The assailants, Justin McDonald, 22, Aaron English, 23, and Demi Dearie, 19, were shouting racial abuse during the attack. The assault ensued over a refusal to pay for bags of crisps.

11/11 Mahesh Wickramasingha, 30, Liverpool

A Sri Lankan shop worker and father of two who died after being stabbed in the throat while working at a newsagents shop. Sam Harrison, 19, has been charged with murder and is due to stand trial in 2012.

12/11 Anuj Bidve, 23, Salford

An Indian overseas student shot dead in an unprovoked attack in Salford.

1/12 Mehar Dhariwal, 61, Bedford

A taxi-driver in Bedford who was racially abused, beaten and kicked to the floor by 27-year-old Daniel Rogers, his passenger, simply for following company policy and asking him to pay his fare in advance. When paramedics arrived at the scene they found the taxi-driver covered in blood and with an enormous lump on the side of his head. Yet after taking him to hospital, no CT scan was carried out, and tests did not pick up the fact that he had been beaten with such ferocity that one of his ribs had been broken. Mr Dhariwal later told his family that he had been involved in a car accident, preferring not to let them know about the racist attack. A few days later he collapsed, never regaining consciousness. In September 2012, Rogers was sentenced for the murder, and ordered to serve a minimum of 25 years.

03/12 John Auld, 59, Tranent, East Lothian, Scotland

A former soldier, who was working as a takeaway delivery driver at a Turkish takeaway shop, stepped in when two men entered the shop and attacked the owner after one got paint on his jacket. Auld was kicked and punched by the two men – at least ten times by each, according to witness accounts. Auld suffered from a heart condition and subsequently died. The police reported that they believed the original assault on the kebab shop owner to have been aggravated by race. Steven Archibald, 37, and Michael Sutherland, 31, both admitted culpable homicide. Archibald was sentenced to five years and three months and Sutherland received six years.

05/12, Dalbagh Singh Malhi, 29, Stoke-on-Trent

Died after being stabbed repeatedly by 29-year-old Lee Shaw. Shaw had been at a party and was enraged when the taxi driver that he had booked to take him home in the early hours of the morning drove away without him because of his behaviour. He then took a kitchen knife and went out on to the street, encountering Dalbagh Malhi who was walking to a friend’s house, racially abusing him and attacking him. The fatal stab-wound pierced his heart and penetrated his liver. Shaw was sentenced to a minimum of 20 years for racially motivated murder in March 2013.

9/12 Mohammed Saleem Khan, Easingwold, north Yorkshire

A delivery driver who was found slumped behind the wheel of his vehicle in Easingwold with a single stab wound to the neck. He later died later in hospital from his injuries. The police said they were investigating whether the murder was a racist attack. But although a witness said the attacker had earlier told her he might ‘do that P**i’, in court the CPS said it was not the crown’s case that he had been stabbed because he was a Pakistani and the defendant viewed him in a racist way. In May 2013, a 27-year-old man was jailed for life for murder.

4/13 Mohammed Saleem, 82, Birmingham

An elserly man stabbed to death in Birmingham as he was walking home from a mosque. In October 2013, Ukranian student Pavlo Lapshyn was sentenced for his murder and jailed for life. He told the police that he was motivated by racism and had killed him because he ‘hated non-whites’. He had also planted several bombs near mosques.

7/13 Bijan Ebrahimi, 44, Bristol

A 44-year-old Iranian refugee killed by a neighbour. Bijan, registered disabled, had suffered harassment for years in the UK as a result of his race and his disability. Prior to his death, a false rumour was spread that he was a paedophile and one of his neighbours threatened him. When he called the police for help though, he was arrested and led away in handcuffs whilst local residents clapped. After being released him from custody, he returned home and was beaten to death by a man who went on to burn the body. In November 2013, Lee James, 24, was jailed for life for murder and one of his friends was also sentenced for assisting an offender. At their trial, the court heard Mr Ebrahimi, who moved to the UK in 2001, made several calls to police in the 48 hours before his murder, but ‘those calls were not responded to’.

10/13 Joele Leotta, 20, Maidstone, Kent

This Italian man had been in the UK about a week when he was killed. The attack happened in a flat above a restaurant where Joele was working. According to an Italian mayor, ’informed sources’ said that the attackers had ‘broken down the door of their room’, yelling, ‘you’re stealing our jobs’. The police later denied any racial motivation. In January 2014, four Lithuanian men charged with murder pleaded not guilty.

10/13, Barry Smith, 48, Kilburn, near Derby

Beaten to death with pool cues and a fence post and then his body was set alight. In June 2014, two men and a woman were found guilty of murder; Vincent Aitken was sentenced to a minimum of 22 years, Nathan Doherty was sentenced to 18 years and Emma Aitken, was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Derbyshire police investigated the possibility that the murder was racially motivated but it was not prosecuted as such. However, Smith’s family do believe the attack was racially motivated and that this was not taken into account in the sentences handed down. The family told the Travellers’ Times: ‘There was no other reason why Barry was attacked except racism. He was attacked because he was a Traveller and it’s been pushed under the carpet because he is a Traveller as well. If you had seen the hurt on his children’s faces, at the verdict and the lack of recognition of the race hate element – you would never have forgotten it.’

Click here to read about murders from 1991-1999 with a suspected or known racial element.

Related links

The Monitoring Group

Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust