Couple admit racial abuse of health worker in park

A married couple have admitted racial assault after a video of them abusing a healthcare worker in a park was shared widely online.

Fyona Bairstow, 72, and Michael Bairstow, 77, abused Apple Moorhouse in Manor Heath Park, Halifax, on 28 August last year after she told them they should have their dog on a lead.

Michael Bairstow told Moorhouse to "go back to your dinghy", and Fyonna Bairstow pulled her ponytail when she tried to walk away, Bradford Magistrates' Court heard.

The couple, of Shelf in Halifax, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault and the case was adjourned until 16 April for a pre-sentence report to be shared.

Michael Bairstow also admitted assaulting another woman who tried to intervene.

After the hearing, Moorhouse, who moved to the UK from the Philippines more than 15 years ago, said she had not returned to work since the incident and had been left feeling scared and anxious.

Richard Davies, prosecuting, said the Bairstows' dog went up to a child on 28 August last year and started barking.

Moorhouse intervened and when the couple approached her, she told them the dog should be on a lead.

The court heard Michael Bairstow had told his dog to "get her, kill", and threw a bottle of water towards Moorhouse, splashing her, while saying: "Ban immigrants."

Moorhouse's statement, read out in court, said: "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 when another woman had intervened and told Michael Bairstow to get away from Moorhouse, he punched her to the face and said: "Sticking up for immigrants, who do you think you are?"

After the hearing, the couple were bailed with conditions not to go to Manor Heath Park or contact Moorhouse.

Speaking outside court, Moorhouse, who is a British citizen, said she had felt 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."

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