Two men jailed after Dr Peng Wang was beaten in racist attack in Southampton

Dr Peng Wang was "ambushed" by a group of men in a car in February last year as he was out jogging in Woolston.

A court heard how racial slurs were shouted at Dr Wang from the car as he ran along Vosper Road.

Dr Wang shouted back and the car then drove away.

READ MORE: University lecturer attacked whilst jogging in Southampton

But after a few turns around the area, the vehicle returned to find Dr Wang who then confronted the men.

Approaching the car and putting his head to the window, he continued to shout at the group of men.

They then got out of the car and beat him to the ground.

The lecturer at the University of Southampton, who was 37 at the time, hit his head on the pavement as he fell and even recalled losing consciousness at points.

READ MORE: Two men accused of assaulting Dr Peng Wang

After the group left the scene Dr Wang was then taken to hospital with a nosebleed and cuts but discharged soon after.

He later said he didn’t feel safe going jogging in that area anymore and that he was worried for his wife and child.

The vehicle was caught on CCTV at the Itchen Bridge soon after the attack, leading to the identification of two men who were later arrested.

Ricky Goodman, 36, of Millbrook Towers and Rory Marshall, 24, of William Macleod Way have now both been jailed as a result.

Ricky Goodman. Photo from: Hampshire Police.

After a trial at Southampton Crown Court, Goodman was convicted of racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm and Marshall was found guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Marshall had also pleaded guilty to possession of two offensive weapons after a baseball bat and a knuckleduster was later found in the car, but these were not used in this incident.

At a sentencing today for the pair, Judge Christopher Parker QC said the incident was “cowardly bullying and in your case Goodman, a racially aggravated attack”.

But defence barrister for Goodman, Simon Walters, argued that Dr Wang has “angrily approached the car” and that his injuries recovered “quite quickly” after the incident.

READ MORE: Ricky Goodman and Rory Marshall assaulted Dr Peng Wang

Goodman was convicted of saying the racist words, meanwhile, Marshall was found to have been the driver, the one who threw the first punch and who called time on the attack.

But Marshall’s defence barrister, David Jenkins argued that he has learning difficulties and would be “vulnerable” if sent to prison.

Judge Parker added that Dr Wang was “understandably annoyed” by the racist comments.

“It was not as serious as it might have been. This was clearly a shocking incident.

“It does not seem to me that there are any mitigating factors here. This was an entirely unprovoked attack.”

He jailed Goodman for 13 months.

Meanwhile, Marshall, who wept in the dock during the hearing was jailed for nine months and two months to run concurrently.

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