A couple were jailed yesterday for a brutal attack on the daughter they felt had shamed them by dating a black man.
David and Frances Champion repeatedly punched Jane in the face and shouted racist abuse while kicking her boyfriend out of the family home.
They lost control after they returned home to find their 17-year-old daughter in a ‘state of undress’ with Alfonce Ncube, a court heard.
After throwing the waiter out of the house, Mr Champion, 50, grabbed his daughter by her hair and started to hit her, said Nicola Powell, prosecuting.
‘He told her she was destroying the family and pushed her out of the door, Champion shouting racist language to describe Mr Ncube,’ she added.
Jane went to stay with her grandmother but returned to her parents in St Thomas, Swansea, once the situation had apparently calmed down.
But a month later her parents challenged her over Mr Ncube when they returned from a pub.
‘David Champion asked his daughter if she was still seeing Mr Ncube. When she told him she was, he punched her in the face,’ said Miss Powell.
‘Miss Champion said she felt huge pain to her left eye but her father then grabbed her by the throat and continued hitting her.’
Mrs Champion, 47, then began hitting her daughter – causing swelling on her face and lumps on her head – yelling abuse at the teenager saying: ‘You deserve it. It is all your fault.’ Swansea Crown Court was told Mrs Champion said her daughter had ‘brought shame on her family’.
The couple then went in search of Mr Ncube at the Swansea restaurant where he worked.
When they were removed from the premises Mrs Champion continued to bang on the restaurant window. John Hipkin, defending her husband, said his client knew that it was an ‘abhorrent’ assault, adding: ‘It’s not excusable in any way, shape or form.
More...
'I told Shafilea to run but she froze. He pushed her into the car and was icily calm': How closest friend tried to save schoolgirl killed by her parents
How China trains its children to win gold - standing on a girl's legs as young boys hang from bars
Couple ‘left their two children to bake in the back of their car as temperatures soared to 27C’
‘But the circumstances in which he found his young daughter meant he reacted in a terrible way. Lessons have been learned.’
Georgina Buckley, defending Mrs Champion, said: ‘She accepts her actions were fuelled by alcohol and that she confronted her daughter in a wholly unacceptable and disgusting way.
‘She is remorseful and her daughter has sent her a text message before the court hearing wishing her well.’
Judge Peter Heywood told the couple: ‘Your behaviour was disgraceful and you used vile language.
‘We live in a liberal and enlightened society and these sorts of racist behaviour cannot be tolerated. The way you reacted was totally inappropriate.
‘I would be failing in my public duty if I was to do anything other than impose a custodial sentence.’
Mr Champion was sentenced to 12 months in prison and his wife to nine months. Both admitted assaulting their daughter.
Mr Champion also pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated assault against Mr Ncube and his wife admitted a racial abuse charge.
'You deserve it': Jane was punched in the face by her father after admitting she was still dating Mr Ncube. Her mother also hit her, saying 'you deserve it. It is all your fault.'
'You deserve it': Jane was punched in the face by her father after admitting she was still dating Mr Ncube. Her mother also hit her, saying 'you deserve it. It is all your fault.'
The couple have another daughter, who is 12.
The court heard that Mr Ncube suffered a dead leg in the first attack after being kicked by Mr Champion.
Jane, who is studying sports science at college, suffered bleeding from her ear in the second attack at the hands of her mother. She met Mr Ncube at the college and the pair have been dating for two years. He moved from his native Zimbabwe to Southend in Essex when he was eight.
Miss Champion said her parents had apologised for their actions and she had forgiven them.
She told the Mail: ‘I have seen my parents a few times since they were arrested and they are very sorry for what they did. I don’t know why they did it. Alfie and I love each other very much.’
Her parents originally pleaded not guilty to charges in two earlier appearances but later changed their plea to avoid a trial.
Speaking outside the family’s terraced house on a quiet street in Swansea, a relative said they wanted to reunite Jane with her parents.
The family spokesman said: ‘We’re trying to get the family back together again. We are working on getting Jane and her parents back speaking.
‘It’s been a terrible case for everyone involved. Now we just want to put it all behind us.’.
too
