Bristol shopkeeper victim of racist attack

The physical scars of his ordeal may have faded but Bristol shopkeeper Ashok Selvam is still troubled by the racist attack five months ago that left him battered and bruised.

At 10.30pm on June 6, Justin and Luke Lovedale – then aged 16 – went to Bargain Booze on West Street in Bedminster and demanded cigarettes and vodka.

Mr Selvam refused so the pair savagely beat him, repeatedly punching and kicking him.

A female member of staff tried to beat them away with a broom handle but they continued, pulling his T-shirt over his head so he could not see.

As one brother held him in a headlock, the other punched him in the face until he fell to the ground, leaving him bruised and shaken, with a bloody nose.

Mr Selvam, 31, is left fearing further attacks and says the 18-month sentence is not enough.

The father-of-two, who came to Bristol from India seven years ago to work, said: "I am not happy at the sentence. They did something wrong and 18 months is not enough punishment.

"It was very serious. If something happened to my life, that would not be good. What could have happened to my wife and children?"

Mr Selvam's attack left him in hospital for 24 hours and doctors ordered him to rest for two weeks, meaning his business suffered.

But he said it is not just teenagers in the area who are racist.

He said: "There are lots of teenagers in the area and I am worried about further attacks because some people don't like us because of our race. But some are older people, in their 30s, and they are racist and say 'You are a f****** Asian'.

"But I am going to stay. It is my shop, so why should I have to move?"

Two of the victims of the thugs' other attack, Girish Patel and Parakram Zala, were so traumatised they have moved back to London.

Another victim, Hardik Patel, has since left Costcutter to work at another newsagents. He was not available for comment last night.

Detective Constable Gary Booth, the officer in charge of the case, said the victims he had spoken to were happy with the outcome of the case.

He said: "It was a horrific ordeal and unfortunately some of them have now moved from Bristol because of the incident, but I am pleased they have got justice at the end of the case.

"It is a good result for us as a team, and this shows that racism won't be tolerated. We are pleased that the courts share our view."

Alex Raikes, assistant director of Sari, Support Against Racist Incidents, said the sentence sent out a clear message that racist behaviour would not be tolerated. She said Sari was supporting the family of one of the victims but the after-effects of such an attack take time to heal.