Halifax couple admit abusing health worker in racially-motivated assault in park
Fyona and Michael Bairstow accosted Apple Moorhouse in Manor Heath Park last August - aiming racist comments at her
A married pensioner couple have pleaded guilty to racial assault after a video of them abusing a healthcare worker in a Yorkshire park was shared widely online.
Fyona Bairstow, 72, and Michael Bairstow, 77, accosted Apple Moorhouse in Manor Heath Park in Halifax, last August after she told them they should have their dog on a lead.
A court heard Michael Bairstow told Ms Moorhouse to ‘go back to your dinghy’ while making swimming gestures at her, and Fyonna Bairstow pulled her ponytail when she tried to walk away.
On Tuesday, the couple, both of Shelf, Halifax, pleaded guilty at Bradford Magistrates’ Court to a racially aggravated assault against Ms Moorhouse.
Michael Bairstow also admitted assaulting another woman who tried to intervene.
After the hearing, Ms Moorhouse, who moved to the UK from the Philippines more than 15 years ago, said she never returned to work after the incident, and was left feeling scared and anxious.
Richard Davies, prosecuting, said that on August 28 last year the Bairstows’ dog went up to a child and started barking.
Ms Moorhouse intervened, and when the couple approached her, she told them the dog should be on a lead.
Her statement, read in court, said: “The reaction was very hostile, (Michael Bairstow was) telling me to ‘go back to your dinghy’ and making swimming gestures with his arms towards me.
“I said I was a healthcare worker. The female was calling me a stupid bitch.”
The court heard that Michael Bairstow told his dog to “get her, kill”, and threw a bottle of water towards Ms Moorhouse, splashing her, while saying: “Ban immigrants.”
Ms Moorhouse’s statement read: “When I tried to walk away the female pulled me back by my ponytail causing my head to go backwards.
“They were very racist towards me, they seemed to want to make everything a conversation about immigrants and calling me a slave.”
The court heard that when another woman intervened and told Michael Bairstow to get away from Ms Moorhouse, he punched her to the left side of her face and said: “Sticking up for immigrants, who do you think you are?”
The case was adjourned until April 15 for a pre-sentence report to be shared, and the couple were bailed, with conditions not to go to Manor Heath Park or contact Ms Moorhouse.
Speaking outside court after the hearing, Ms Moorhouse, who is a British citizen, said she feels less safe after the incident and “keeps looking over my shoulder”.
“I feel anxious obviously, every time that I think back, I feel upset,” she said.
“It’s a big thing, racism, and it needs to be dealt with.
“I’ve been here since 2009 and never had anything like this before, for 10 years, it was fine but now it’s got worse.
“I used to work in healthcare and I wanted to go back but I felt scared … this happened and I just didn’t go back.
“Caring was my passion but then this happened and it was hard to go back.”
Ms Moorhouse added: “At their age they should know better, but obviously they didn’t.”