British Sikh jailed for repeatedly punching man after altercation

London, July 10 (IANS) A 37-year-old Sikh in England has been jailed for a year for repeatedly punching a man with his steel bangle (kada) after believing that he was racially targetted, a media report said.

Tirminder Singh Lallie, who previously faced racism at workplace, retaliated after the victim lashed out at him with a pole for allegedly driving his Range Rover too fast in 2021, the BirminghamLive reported on Sunday.

Lallie admitted before the Wolverhampton Crown Court that his retaliation was "excessive self-defence", but added that he fought back thinking that he has been racially abused by the victim.

The court heard that Lallie earlier faced abuse in workplace over his religion and appearance that left him shattered and "angry".

He was also sentenced previously for a verbal altercation. 

"It strikes me that both of these incidents came about because you're an angry man... You could have easily done something else -- walked away, called the police," the judge said while sentencing Lallie.

The victim, a painter, was putting a ladder in his van when he saw Lallie’s Range Rover heading towards him in Oldbury, England, on August 4, 2021.

Thinking that Lallie was driving too fast, the painter waved his hand at the driver, gesturing at him to slow down.

Prosecutor Ilana Davis said the car came to a “sudden halt”. 

Lallie shouted and swore from the car window before getting out and “charging” towards the man.

The court was told that the victim was clutching a pole, which he used to hit Lallie's head twice.

Prosecutor Davis said that "Lallie was wearing a steel bangle around his wrist. He pulled it over his fingers as he punched" the victim repeatedly.

The victim went to hospital, where medics glued back together two cuts to his head, the report said.

In a statement, the victim said Lallie's "unprovoked attack" stopped him from working for a few days and he is now worried about bumping into him while going out.