Drunken Derby Woman Racially-Abused and Spat at Doorman

A young Derby woman directed disgusting abuse at a doorman who refused her entry to a city centre nightclub.

Saddiya Mahmood, 23, of Harriet Street, Normanton, admitted offences of common assault and racially-aggravated threatening behaviour when she appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on Monday, 7th August 2023.

Common assault, an offence contrary to section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, has a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine and/or 26 weeks' custody on summary conviction.

Magistrates heard that Mahmood, a former residential support worker, was part of a group trying to enter the Fever club at around 1.45 am on Saturday, 10th December 2022.

Beth Leigh, prosecuting, told the court that door staff at the club were of the opinion that one member of the group, Mahmood's brother, was too drunk to be admitted.

Ms Leigh said: "The group of females all became aggressive with the door staff. One defendant has already been dealt with (by the courts) for punching the victim but this defendant called him 'a white bastard' and 'I will get some guys round here to beat you up'. She then spat at him. The police arrived and arrested her."

Theo Addae, mitigating, told the court that his client had no previous convictions and acted out of character.

She was of the opinion that door staff were always refusing her brother admittance to the club. On the night in question a second member of door staff - not the one she assaulted - had taken the decision to turn her brother away.

Mr Addae said: "Her brother was not drunk at all and he (the victim) started laughing about it, she felt provoked and he pushed her blood up and that provoked her into acting in this particular way. She says she rarely drinks but she accepts she spat at the bouncer in her frustration and she said those words which is something she deeply regrets."

Magistrates decided to fine Mahmood for the offences, but the values reported (£747 fine, £50 compensation, £299 surcharge) don't quite make sense to me. I'm guessing costs have been included in with the reported surcharge value. There will also have been some sort of uplift in sentencing to reflect the racially-aggravated element.

Addressing the defendant, Philip Hickson, Presiding Justice, said: "The public are absolutely fed up with late-night behaviour like this which is totally unacceptable, those words were obnoxious. I hope this is the end of the matter and we don't see you before the courts again."