XMAS Punch: Colleague Thumped After Boozy Partygoer's "Alright ISIS?" Greeting

Unsporting: Sam Tibbitts

A drunken sports sponsorship employee thumped his bearded half-Peruvian colleague after greeting him with: “Alright ISIS?” at their company’s Christmas party, a court heard yesterday.

Graduate Sam Tibbitts, 32, who had recently been recruited by industry giants Henley Media Group was convicted of assaulting sales director John Browne at Bankside restaurant Sama.

Camberwell Green Magistrates Court was told Tibbitts punched University of Nottingham graduate Mr. Browne to the left side of his face at the crowded party on December 15, 2017.

Mr. Browne was being introduced to Tibbitts for the first time and he told the trial. “I said: ’Nice to meet you,’ and went to shake his hand and he said: ‘Alright ISIS?’   

“I am half-Peruvian and have been subjected to racial abuse in the past.

“That ended in an apology from Sam and a shake of the hands and he said he was new, thought it was funny and was drunk.

“He purported to buy me a shot of tequila to apologise, but when I reached out to take it he drank the shot while maintaining eye contact. He drank both of them.

“I feigned to be amused by it, but it was a clear act of provocation and he leaned into me and said: ‘I don’t give a s***. I’m handing in my notice on Monday’.

“He felt he had nothing to lose and that there were no professional consequences.”

Tibbitts had three to four beers before the two shots and Mr. Browne a couple of pints, plus a wine and a Prosecco at the all-day event, across the Thames from the company’s City HQ.

“He leans in and says: ‘Let’s go outside.’ Everyone understands that is a threat of violence to go out and have a fight,” added Mr. Browne.

Punched: John Browne

“Because his face was so close to mine I said: ‘Your breath stinks,’ and that is when he lashed out a punch. I felt contact on my face and saw his clenched fist.

“I did not receive the full force of the punch because I had turned my head. If I suffered full force I could have received serious injuries, he’s quite a big guy.

“He gets restrained by lots of people and was shouting and screaming at me.”

The court heard Tibbitts was escorted from the venue. “He was outside, waiting for me with the clear intention to assault me again. I could see him there.

“Sam was dismissed, but it has been very detrimental for my career moving forward. People from his side of the company are noticeably hostile to me.”

Tibbitts denied making the ISIS remark, claiming Mr. Browne became annoyed when he called him: “Mr. Big Shot.”

He admitted downing both tequilas, but insisted this was in response to overhearing Mr. Browne tell colleagues: “That bitch has gone to get me a shot.”

Tibbitts says he was verbally abused by Mr. Browne, who called him a: “F***ing w*****; F*** d***head,” and referred to his Hawaiian top as a: “Faggot shirt.”

A colleague confirmed he saw Tibbitts’ arm thrust out, but the defendant said this was an attempt to reach out to Mr. Browne and not a punch.

“He was goading me with his friends,” said Tibbitts. “In an alpha male environment we were flexing our muscles a bit.”

Tibbitts, who says he is facing redundancy from his new £45,000 a year job, was originally charged with racially-aggravated assault, but this was dismissed at an earlier heating.

Tibbitts, of Mirabel Road, Fulham was fined £430, with £775 costs and was ordered to pay £150 compensation to Mr. Browne and a £43 victim surcharge.