Farm worker jailed for racist attack on Tiverton taxi boss in which he ‘behaved like a cave man’A migrant farm worker has been jailed for a racist attack on a taxi firm boss in which he ‘behaved like a cave man’.
Polish-born Darian Sztejnagel used vile racial abuse on a driver at the taxi office in Tiverton before punching the manager in the eye when he tried to intervene.
He was jailed after a Judge at Exeter Crown Court told him that racist violence would not be tolerated and must be dealt with by an immediate prison sentence.
Sztejnagel, aged 21, of Leat Street, Tiverton, admitted racially aggravated assault and threatening behaviour and was jailed for a total of 20 months.
Judge Erik Salomonsen told him:”I make it clear you may well not have gone to prison if these offences had not been racially aggravated. You have only yourself to blame.
“This inevitable sentence is no reflection on the Polish community. You are not typical of that community. This was simply behaviour you committed as an individual.
“It is my public duty to mark society’s disapprobation of racially aggravated offending.”
Mr David Bowen, prosecuting, said Sztejnagel and a friend went into the taxi office in St Peter Street, Tiverton after they had been out drinking in the town three days before Christmas.
He first abused one of the drivers, calling him an Indian and using the N word, and then turned on the owner Yilidray Kekili.
He made a lewd sexual suggestion before punching him twice in the eye, causing pain, swelling and bleeding.
Mr Bowen said:”Both victims said they were upset and distressed at the racial abuse. We say this was racially aggravated behaviour against two people who were just trying to help him get home.”
He said Sztejnagel is also in breach of a suspended sentence from Worcester Crown Court for two sexual assaults on women in Hereford.
Mr Peter Seigne, defending, said Sztejnagel had no memory of what he had done afterwards but is very sorry for his actions, which have already led to him spending Christmas away from his partner and their six-month-old child.
He said:”He cannot get away from the fact that his behaviour on that night was despicable. He describes is as being that of a caveman an is disgusted with what he did.
“He has been in this country for a year and the last thing he wants is to give a bad impression of Polish citizens.”
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