Racist who pulled veil from Muslim woman's face in Sunderland attack to be sentenced next week

Peter Scotter, who targeted the woman at the Bridge's shopping centre in Sunderland city centre on July 3 last year, will learn his fate next Friday.

The shocking assault was carried out in front of the victim's terrified nine-year-old son.

At Newcastle Crown Court this morning, the 56-year-old confronted a photographer and said, "What are you taking pictures of me for?", before telling him to, "**** off".

The defendant had approached the woman, who was waiting outside one of the stores for her husband.

He then reached out and pulled her niqab veil from her head and threw it on the ground - exposing her face to the public.

The court heard how Scotter then shouted "Take that ****er off, you stupid ******* Muslim" along with other racist slurs.

The court was told at an earlier hearing the victim was left exposed and scared by what happened to her.

Her niqab was damaged but she managed to repair it.

The defendant, who suffers from mouth cancer, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault by beating in relation to the attack, which was just days after Britain voted to leave the European Union.

He also admitted a charge of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress.

The court heard both offences were based on Scotter's assumption that the woman was a member of a particular religious group, namely Islam.

He was due to be sentenced today, however his case has been repeatedly adjourned since his guilty plea following his cancer diagnosis and treatment.

At a previous hearing, Tony Hawks, defending, said the victim has spoken publicly in a local newspaper and on television saying she hoped Scotter had "learned his lesson" and that she did not want him jailed.

The attack happened at a time when reports of racial abuse were on the rise following Britain's exit from the European Union.

Sunderland voted to leave the EU by 61% on June 23 with 82,394 voting for Leave and 51,930 for Remain.