The parents of a 17-year-old girl, jailed for attacking her because she was going out with a black man, have been called “disgraceful” by a judge.

David Champion, 50, from Swansea, and his wife Frances, hit daughter Jane for “bringing shame” on the family.

The father also abused her boyfriend Alfonce Ncube with racist language before grabbing and kicking him.

Champion was jailed for 12 months at Swansea Crown Court, and his wife to nine months. Both admitted assault.

The father also admitted a charge of racially aggravated assault against Mr Ncube.

Frances Champion admitted using threatening, abusive or offensive words or behaviour to cause racially aggravated fear or provocation of violence towards Mr Ncube.

The court heard parents attacked their daughter after returning home to find her in a “state of undress” with Mr Ncube.

After abusing and assaulting Mr Ncube, Champion then grabbed his daughter, now 18, by her hair.

He accused her of “bringing shame” on the family and started to hit her.

Nicola Powell, prosecuting, said: “He told her she was destroying the family and pushed her out of the front door of the family home in St Thomas, Champion shouting racist language to describe Mr Ncube.”

The court heard the teenager went to stay with her grandmother for a while but later returned home

But a month later, after the couple had been drinking, they came home from the pub and challenged her over the relationship.

Miss Powell said: “David Champion asked his daughter if she was still seeing Mr Ncube. When she told him she was, he punched her in the face.

“Miss Champion said she felt huge pain to her left eye, but her father then grabbed her by her throat, and continued hitting her.”

The court heard Mrs Champion yelled: “You deserve it. It is all your fault.”

She also hit her daughter and told her she had “brought shame on her family,” the court heard.

The couple also had to be removed from the restaurant where Mr Ncube worked after going there and shouting for him.

He was “in hiding” during the incident. Frances Champion continued to bang on the restaurant’s window, the court heard.

John Hipkin, defending David Champion, said his client knew his “abhorrent” assault was “not excusable in any way, shape or form”.

He said: “But the circumstances in which he found his young daughter meant he reacted in a terrible way. Lessons have been learned.”
‘Cannot be tolerated’

Georgina Buckley, defending Frances Champion, said her client admitted her “disgraceful” 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 to impose a custodial sentence

BBC News