GUILTY: Late-Night Thugs Race Attack On Italian Bartender

Joshua O'Leary

Two drunken racist thugs have been convicted of hurling Islamic abuse while punching and kicking their dark-haired victim, who turned out to be an Italian bartender walking home. 

A bottle was thrown at the lone man, who was chased and surrounded after midnight, as the group shouted: “F***ing muslim” and “Go back to your own country.”

Joshua O’Leary, 23, of Teak Close, Rotherhithe was found guilty by a jury of religiously aggravated assault in nearby Lower Road on June 10, last year.

Alfred Young, 19, of Harwood Hill, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire had already pleaded guilty to the charge and both men will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

A third suspect, who was involved, has never been identified or arrested.

It was after midnight when Dario Antonioni - who was bearded at the time - was confronted after exiting Canada Water Underground Station, Inner London Crown Court heard.

“They were shouting at me for no reason, things like: ‘F***ing muslim. Muslim go home’ all three of them.

“A bottle was thrown at me and I started walking quickly and then started to run. I was frightened.

Alfred Young

“The three of them surrounded me. I fell to the ground and I was struck everywhere by all three of them.

“I said: ‘What are you doing? Why are you doing this?’ and I was speaking to them in Italian, but they increased the shouting.

“They wanted to beat me up. Their hands were raised as if they were ready for a fight.

“All three of them hit me, kicks and punches and when I was on the floor there were more kicks and punches.

“Luckily I was able to run away from them into a kebab shop.

“They continued using obscene language like: ‘Motherf***er and go back to your own country.’

“I had grazes on my face and bruises on my elbows and knees from where I had fallen.

“It was a shocking experience.”

Dario Antonioni

O’Leary claimed footage filmed by a neighbour and played to the jury showed him trying to pull Mr. Antonioni away from the other two to protect him.

This is seconds after he says he was punched to the ground by the bartender as he tried to intervene.

However, Mr. Antonioni insisted: “No. He was not trying to get me away, he was trying to take me over to his friends. His intention was not to help me.”

Prosecutor Mr. Kerry Moore told the jury: “Mr. Antonioni is not a muslim. He had a dark beard at the time and dark hair and in the early hours these three may have thought he was from an islamic country.

“O’Leary was arrested returning to that area, as was Young. The third male was never identified, but we say they were all together in this attack.”