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Iraq veteran attacked Asian man

01 May 2003

A soldier, recently returned from action during the invasion of Iraq, received 100 hours community service and a one-year rehabilitation order at Worcester magistrates court in July after a drunken attack on an Asian man in a restaurant in Worcester. Fleming, a private in 23 Pioneer Regiment in Malvern, but based in Oxfordshire, had been drinking before the attack. Restaurant staff had refused to serve him after he began arguing with them when he turned his attention to Mr Khalid calling him an "Iraqi bastard" and headbutting him in the face - Shazan is actually from Kashmir.

When police arrived Fleming was standing on a serving counter offering to fight all-comers. The sentence was condemned by Mohammed Aslam, chief executive of Worcester Racial Equality Council, who pointed out that the maximum sentence for racially-aggravated common assault is six months imprisonment. He said: "It's outrageous that he didn't receive a prison sentence for an unprovoked racial attack on an innocent member of the public." Major Dean Stevens, of the 206 Squadron, spoke on behalf of Fleming saying that he would keep his job, but his behaviour would be monitored. He added: "We take a dim view of what occurred, but he'll be encouraged to attend some counselling provided by the army."

In another incident, in Plymouth, Devon, four Royal Marines who had recently returned from Iraq were involved in a brawl with two Iraqi asylum seekers. The four commandos, claimed that they were defending themselves from the two Iraqi's. One soldier was stabbed during the fight and another has been charged with actual bodily harm. A friend of one of the soldiers told the Sun newspaper: "It's coming to something when the Marines are getting attacked by Iraqi's in their own country."

Worcester Evening News 5.7.03; Sun 19.7.03