Bank worker 'traumatised' by ABH attack
Failed asylum-seeker Kaulded Djaatouti head-butted and kicked the woman – whom The Herald is not naming – leaving her bruised and bleeding on the floor of HSBC Bank in Old Town Street. But Plymouth Crown Court heard that the psychological effects on the woman were much worse than the physical ones.
From being a bright, confident, outgoing young woman who worked as a 'meet and greeter', she found herself unable to deal with customers and constantly in fear of attack; she had to be moved to an office job.
She suffered nightmares, needed counselling and was so afraid of being on her own that she moved back home with her parents.
The court heard that at 9.10am on May 22, Djaatouti walked into the bank, approached the woman with his bank card and said: "£10."
She advised him to use an ATM machine, but he did not have his PIN number.
When she said she would get a counter colleague to help him, he head-butted her and kicked her in the side as she lay on the floor with blood streaming from her nose, which she feared was broken.
Djaatouti, 39, was picked out on CCTV and arrested in Bournemouth a few days later.
He told police he had mental health problems and couldn't recall the incident, but pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
The court heard that Djaatouti, a Palestinian who came to Britain from Gaza 10 years ago, had five previous convictions for violence: three for battery and two for assault on Police Community Support Officers. Two of his victims were women: a PCSO and a dental nurse.
Ali Rafati, for Djaatouti, said his client's family had been killed and he had experienced trauma in Gaza which came out as rage and frustration.
The judge, Recorder Martin Meeke QC, told Djaatouti: "This community expects that you will respect the norms of this society."
He said the attack was "premeditated, wholly gratuitous and intolerable" and there was no excuse for his conduct in terms of mental health.
He jailed Djaatouti, of Tamar House, Devonport, for 12 months, less 107 days spent on remand.
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