Pair of racist Middlesbrough thugs torched family’s cars

Two racist thugs who were among a gang who tormented a family before torching their cars have been accused of ‘sponging off society’ by a judge.

The violent gang, including Craig Bradley and James Frost, threatened to slit the throat of one of the victims while shouting vile racist abuse at a couple – one who is serving in Royal Navy.

Teesside Crown Court how the gang were shouting and using disgusting racist language as the family returned to their Middlesbrough home.

Paul Rooney, prosecuting, said the family had been left devastated by the brutal nature of the racist abuse they endured.

He told the judge how Bradley was heard saying “you can’t live here, we will have you out tomorrow, we will burn your house down”.

The court heard how the gang was increasingly intimidating and threatening with one member heard to shout “let’s slit her throat” – later Frost grabbed a metal pole and was waving it at them.

Mr Rooney said: “This was a targeted attack because of the complainants’ colour of their skin. This took place on Saturday, August 3, 2024 – not 1824 or 1924.”

He said the family managed to get into their home safely but they were awoken by a loud bang an hour later.

“They thought it was an explosion,” he said. “The woman got out of bed and saw that their two cars were on fire outside.

“She noticed the same group of males standing near her home and laughing. Frost had a large metal pole in his hand and threatened to hit her with it – he was swinging it around his head as though he was about to strike it down.

“He was being encouraged to hurt her while they threw bottles and bricks at their cars. Frost then used the pipe to cause damage to the cars as they were burning.”

The family’s BMW and Mercedes cars were irreparably damaged during the violent disorder.

Mr Rooney said both men were arrested when they returned to the family home several hours later while the police were still on the scene.

The victims of the violent abuse said they were scared to be in their own home and reiterated the racial element to the offences.

One said: “It has been a longstanding situation where these males have targeted us for being black and living in this community.

“It is crazy. I feel lucky to be alive today.”

Bradley, of Fonteyn Court, Hemlington, Middlesbrough, and Frost, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to violent disorder and racially aggravated public order.

The court heard how Bradley was on bail at the time for a similar bout of violent disorder on the street where he lived.

On that occasion, a police officer was seriously injured and the defendant was jailed for 32 months for that offence.

Mr Rooney said Frost had 70 convictions for 139 offences on his record.

Nicci Horton, representing Bradley, said her client’s behaviour becomes more erratic and violent when he has been drinking.

She added: “He was, quite frankly, incredibly stupid and behaved in quite a vile manner.”

While Jonathan Gittins, representing Frost, said his client had “buried his head in the sand” until the day of his trial when he pleaded guilty.

He said: “His record is indicative of a drug addiction which at the time of this offence, he was struggling with and it spiralled into this terrible incident.”

Judge Simon Baptiste lambasted the pair for targeting the family, who had been serving the country for 15 years, due to their ethnicity.

“They have been model citizens of this country,” he said. “Yet they have been targeted by you and your associates, purely on the colour of their skin.

“Compared to you two and your associates – people who are career criminals sponging off society, committing crime and then causing huge expense of having to be incarcerated – these two people are far better British citizens than you two will ever be.”

Both men were jailed for a total of four-and-a half-years.

Northern Echo