AN IRISHMAN has been jailed for 10 months after racially abusing a bus driver in Hayes, Middlesex and violently attacking a betting shop.
Michael Mongan, 39, of Castle Road, Ealing, west London, attacked a Ladbrokes branch in Northolt on 27 July of this year. In that incident Mongan repeatedly battered windows with a stick and racially abused staff while under the influence of alcohol, the court heard. A member of the public had to restrain him before he was arrested by police. While in custody, Mongan racially abused a police officer.
In relation to this incident, Mongan pleaded guilty to two counts of racially aggravated behaviour, one charge of criminal damage and one count of causing damage to a police vehicle
While released on bail for that offence, he racially abused a bus driver on 7 August – an incident that was widely shared on social media.
At Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court, Judge Ian Comfort told him the incident on the bus was an “appalling racial and religious abuse over a sustained period of time”.
The judge added that it was particularly reprehensible given that his behaviour occurred when there was violent disorder in other parts of the country against Muslims.
Mongan had screamed at the driver: “”You Muslim terrorist b*****d”
The second incident occurred on 7 August, while he was on bail for the previous offences, after a bus driver refused to let him board as he did not have the money to pay for his journey.
Mongan spat at the bus driver’s cab a number of times while shouting Islamophobic abuse and other threats to the driver, the court was told.
His lawyer, Giovanna Fiorentino, said Mongan claimed a member of the public had offered to pay for his fare but the bus driver refused to let him board.
Mongan was identified by police after a video of the incident was posted online.
He was charged with a racially aggravated public order offence and criminal damage.
He was sentenced to six months in custody for racially abusing the bus driver, four months in custody for each of the two charges of racially aggravated behaviour, two months for criminal damage to Ladbrokes, one month for criminal damage to a police vehicle and one month for damaging the cab door of the bus — all charges to run concurrently.
Judge Ian Comfort ordered Mongan to pay £500 to the bus driver, £200 to the police officer he racially abused and £200 to a staff member at Ladbrokes.
After the sentence had been annouced in court by the judge, Mongan said: “They won’t see a pound of it from me.”
Detective Inspector Jonathan Potter, of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: “The bus driver who was racially abused and spat at by Michael Mongan was simply doing his job. He and all other staff who work across London’s transport network have a right to do so in safety, free from unacceptable threats and intimidation.
“I hope the fast response from our officers sends a clear message that we will act to hold those who behave in this way to account. I’m glad Mongan has been swiftly brought to justice and will now face the consequences of his actions.”