A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to five years in a Young Offenders Institution for a vicious racist attack on two Asian teenagers in Rochdale. Duke Crosswaite, of Gale Street, pleaded guilty to two counts of grievous bodily harm at Bolton Crown Court on Friday.
The unprovoked assault occurred just after midnight on May 15 last year. The victims, aged 16 and 17, were walking home along Albert Royds Street when they saw Crosswaite and an accomplice emerge from a side street carrying metre-long wooden sticks. The pair then attacked the teenagers, hitting them repeatedly on the head and body.
During the sustained beating, the victims covered their heads with their arms. After the attackers fled, the victims approached a nearby taxi driver who took them to Rochdale Infirmary. They were later transferred to Oldham Royal Hospital, where they were found to have suffered broken arms.
Crosswaite was arrested on June 25 and identified in a police lineup by one of the victims. During interviews, he admitted holding racist views. Detective Constable Claire Rawcliffe said: 'Like all cowards Crosswaite did not give any explanation for his unprovoked attack and gave his unsuspecting victims no chance to defend themselves. The fact his actions appear to be motivated by race mean this is an even worse incident.'
