Jail for ‘thug’ who attacked Sikh cleric ‘without any justifiable reason’

A “thug” who punched a Sikh priest in the street “without any justifiable reason” and left him for dead has been jailed for three years.

Claudio Campos, 28, attacked Avtar Singh, 62, in broad daylight in Manchester city centre on the early evening of June 23.

The Chilean defendant pursued Mr Singh shortly after he walked past him and his Polish girlfriend at a pedestrian crossing.

Campos later told police his partner said a man had touched her bottom and she pointed to Mr Singh, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Eleanor Myers, prosecuting, said Campos was seen on CCTV footage pursuing Mr Singh who was trying to walk away from him.

Mr Singh then walked on to Tib Street in the city’s Northern Quarter and was approached from the side by Campos who punched him twice to the head in quick succession.

Campos went on to grab his victim’s shirt before he delivered another punch to the head which sent him sprawling to the ground and Campos on top of him.

He pushed himself off his victim and then coolly left the scene as Mr Singh lay unconscious in the middle of the road.

He went on to a sports bar for a beer and a burger with his girlfriend, Claudia.

Campos remained at large for three months until police received a tip-off after a CCTV appeal for help from the public.

When arrested a number of items were seized at a property in Fallowfield including a fully packed suitcase containing the jacket he wore that was captured on CCTV.

Campos said in interview he was out celebrating his fifth anniversary together with his girlfriend.

He said he had followed Mr Singh to “demand an explanation” and that when Mr Singh quickened his pace he felt “this made him guilty in trying to escape”.

He denied the assault was because Mr Singh was wearing a turban.

Campos said he had thought of handing himself in when he realised the extent of Mr Singh’s injuries from the media appeal.

He felt “very sorry” for what had happened.

Campos pleaded guilty last month to inflicting grievous bodily harm.

The court heard Mr Singh had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury, a stroke causing by bleeding on the brain, multiple fractures to his cheek, jaw and eye socket.

His vision has been affected and he remains in hospital requiring 24-hour nursing and medical care.

Sentencing on Thursday, Judge Hilary Manley said: “Avtar Singh was aged 62 when you, without any justifiable reason, attacked him in the street in broad daylight in the busy streets of this city centre.

“Mr Singh has been described by his shattered and broken family as a humble, gentle and peaceable man, a devoted follower of and priest within the Sikh faith, who regularly carried out selfless acts of charity for those in need of help.

“A supportive, humorous, loving and hardworking husband and father.

“As a direct result of your decision to attack him, his life, and the lives of his family, are forever traumatised, changed and diminished.

“He was simply making his way through the city according to his usual routines.

“He was troubling nobody.

“He gave you no reason at all to do what you did.”

The judge said the maximum sentence she could pass for the offence was five years and that he must also receive credit for his plea.

She rejected the defendant’s claim that he was remorseful and said that in a letter to her the defendant “very swiftly” turned to his own situation and his appeal for a suspended sentence.

Mr Singh’s wife Navinder told the court the family’s lives had “changed forever” as she described her husband as “the least confrontational person you could ever meet”.

She said she did not recognise Mr Singh, who had worked in textile factories for many years, when she first saw in hospital.

Mrs Singh said: “He was a happy man, minding his own business.

“You attacked his turban, a crown every Sikh wears in public, you left him for dead.”

Medical student son Gurdas said: “He (the defendant) has traumatised a whole community.”

High school teacher daughter Surinder told Campos: “I think of you as nothing but a thug.

“You hid like a coward for three months.”

Hospital pharmacist daughter Sukhveer labelled the defendant a “monster”.

She said her father now cannot read his prayers or write in his prayer book.

Pritpal Singh Makan, said Mr Singh and his family were regular volunteers with not-for-profit organisation Sewa (Selfless Efforts for Welfare of All) and would help feed the homeless every Sunday in Manchester city centre.

He said: “He is a polite, courteous and helpful member of our community.

“Sadly we see this a racial attack.

“Our turban is a crown which stands out.”