Albert Boyd, 42, from Centuripe Avenue in Ballymena, pleaded guilty to assault and damaging a vehicle in Antrim Magistrates Court sitting in Ballymena. The incident took place around 3am on December 20, 2024, in the Harryville area of Ballymena.

Police responded to a disturbance report. A man stated he was woken by a family member and saw a person damaging his car using a trolley. The damage affected the windscreen and bodywork.

The man went outside with a wooden broom. Boyd shouted words accusing him of being an immigrant and lunged at him with a punch that missed. The man struck Boyd with the broom, knocking him down. Police later cautioned the man for possessing an offensive weapon.

Boyd was restrained but fled when a vehicle arrived. Police identified him from a description of a distinctive tribal tattoo on his face. He was arrested while highly intoxicated and initially claimed no memory of events.

A defence solicitor stated Boyd left a bar after being provoked and accepted the act involved racial hostility. Boyd admitted targeting the vehicle knowing the owners were foreign nationals. The solicitor noted Boyd works for a Polish employer and reported no racial issues to probation.

District Judge Nigel Broderick ruled the attack was aggravated by racial hatred, noting a prior 2020 incident with similar racial elements. Boyd received an 18-month Enhanced Combination Order, 100 hours of community service, and was ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the victim.