A COUPLE who had taken their camper van into a garage for repairs were confronted by a man shouting racist abuse.

Blackburn magistrates heard Shoayb Patel was screaming that they shouldn’t be there because it was a Muslim area.

He told the garage owner he shouldn’t be doing work for them for the same reason.

He ended up assaulting both Steven Butterworth and his partner Shauna Gallinagh who described the whole incident as “terrifying.”

Patel, 30, of HMP Preston, pleaded guilty to two charges of racially aggravated assault and causing £197-worth of damage to the couple’s camper van. He was sentenced to eight weeks in custody which the magistrates said would be served after the completion of the sentence he is currently serving. He was ordered to pay a total of £397 compensation on release.

Tess Kenyon, prosecuting, said Mr Butterworth and his partner had taken their camper van to Brookhouse Auto Bodies when they saw Patel walking towards them shouting. He told Mr Butterworth to jump up and down because he wanted to hear what he had in his pockets.

He told Mr Butterworth: “Give me your money.”

Patel got into the van and Mr Butterworth managed to pull him out and pinned him against the van.

“The defendant was swinging his arms wildly, punching Mr Butterworth in the face. There was a struggle and Patel threw the keys under the van. Miss Gallinagh got out of the van and tried to retrieve the keys and he pulled her by the hair.”

Miss Kenyon said the couple managed to get back in the van and drive off, and as they left Patel repeatedly kicked their vehicle.

In a victim impact statement Mr Butterworth said he was scared for his own safety but his main concern was protecting his partner.

Miss Gallinagh said she felt “completely vulnerable.”

“I was so scared for Steve,” she said. “I was terrified I wouldn’t be able to defend myself because of my surgery injuries.”

Neil Howard, defending, said Patel was currently serving two prison sentences for assaults on his father and his mother and wasn’t due for release until October 2023.

He said his client had many issues in 2021 and his mental health had deteriorated very rapidly.

“My client accepts it was a very distressing incident for the couple,” said Mr Howard. “He did receive some injuries from Mr Butterworth and was also struck by the vehicle as it drove off.”

Mr Howard said in the summer of 2021, when the offences before the court and those that led to his current imprisonment, Patel was drinking at least a bottle of vodka a day.

“It was having a detrimental effect on his health and he was blacking out and losing days,” said Mr Howard.

“He is keen to take advantage of any help that is available to help him keep off alcohol when he is released.”