Victim's shock after racist attack at snooker club as Kettering thug jailed

A thug who racially abused a man and hit him with a pool cue case at a Kettering snooker club has been locked up.

Raymond Hurren is starting an 11-month prison sentence after the shocking incident at Cuetopia at about 10pm on September 14 this year.

Police were called to Montagu Street after he attacked a British Asian man, who was having a drink at the venue, who had made a remark about him losing a game of pool.

During the incident the victim was struck in the face with the metal case but thankfully did not suffer any serious injuries, police said.

The victim, who did not want to be named, said: "Making a comment about a pool match does not warrant that. It’s terrible.

"I’ve been going to that club for years and I’ve never experienced anything like it. I was shocked by it.”

Hurren, 38, also used racist language and assaulted his victim two more times before being arrested by police.

The victim, a man in his 40s, said he was very upset to be racially abused.

He said: “I should not have to tolerate that kind of abuse.

"It should be an equal playing field but unfortunately it’s not.”

Hurren, of Wellington Street in the town, pleaded guilty to three charges of racially-aggravated assault by beating when he appeared before magistrates in Northampton one week after the attack.

He was given three months in prison for each assault, each to be served consecutively, plus an extra two months for breaching a community order after being convicted of driving while disqualified last year.

Hurren was also ordered to pay his victim £100 in compensation by magistrates.

The victim said that he was surprised by how quickly the case was dealt with but that he thought the sentence was ‘lenient’.

He said that he was not given the opportunity to read an impact statement at court and thanked the staff and management at Cuetopia for their support in working with police who were called to the scene.

Cuetopia, which was formerly called Spot On, declined to comment.