Racist attacker walks free after shattering Englishman's eye socket

Published on Tuesday 7 April 2009 09:39

A MAN who shattered an Englishman's eye socket during a racist attack has escaped jail.

Nicholas Walker, 23, lashed out at Simon Maude after arguing with his victim's girlfriend over a taxi.

Walker punched Mr Maude in the face before launching a foul-mouthed tirade on him, calling him fat and English.

The 28-year-old was left bleeding heavily, with blurred vision, and he later discovered he would need a titanium plate in his eye to rebuild the fractured socket.

And the court heard that since the attack, he has been unable to relax in crowded situations and has found overcoming the incident very problematic.

At an earlier hearing, Walker pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated assault, causing Mr Maude severe injury and was facing a jail sentence.

But today at Edinburgh Sheriff Court he was handed 300 hours of community service and ordered to pay his victim 2,500 in compensation.

The court heard that Mr Maude had been out for drinks with his girlfriend, Sarah Wilkinson on August 17 last year.

The couple had been in the Potter Row area of Edinburgh and had booked a taxi to take them home.

But when the cab showed-up Walker began arguing with Miss Wilkinson over the car and insulted her.

And when Mr Maude tried to step-in to calm the situation down, he was attacked and verbally abused.

Shocked onlookers separated the two men but Mr Maude was left bleeding heavily from the assault and suffering from vision problems.

The following week he went to his doctor who immediately referred him to accident and emergency.

Eventually he was taken to facial specialist at the Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh where experts found his orbital socket had been fractured.

Mr Maude was required to have an operation to have the orbital socket reconstructed using a titanium implant.

After the extent of his injury became clear, he reported the attack to the police and they tracked down Walker.

Although Walker admitted arguing with Miss Wilkinson and the fight, he claimed the attack was not racist.

Instead he claimed he lashed out because he was afraid Mr Maude was about to attack him.

Procurator Fiscal Alasdair MacLeod told how since the attack, Mr Maude has struggled to enjoy social events because of a constant feeling of caution.

He said: "He no longer feels comfortable in crowds of sporting fans, because he fears they might hear his accent and be of the same opinion of Walker.

"However, he says he is a confident individual and will overcome these difficulties. But that it has been more problematic than he had expected it to be."

Walker's solicitor, Robert Fraser, said his client was working as an architectural technician after graduating with a degree in architect design two years ago.

Mr Fraser added: "He is someone who has never been in trouble before in his life and it is unlikely that he will be in trouble again."

Walker's mother and girlfriend were both present in court for the hearing.

Sheriff Kenneth Maciver handed Walker, of Stapley Avenue, Edinburgh, 300 hours of community service and ordered him to pay his victim 2,500 in compensation.