Man called married lesbian couple ‘fat d*kes’ before launching violent homophobic attack
By Will Stroude
A 31-year-old man was found guilty of assault yesterday (November 7), after calling two women “fat dykes” before punching one of them in the face on August 7.
Sazi Tutani attacked Alessandra Field while she was out with her wife Rebecca and another couple, Maria Mulligan and Michelle Johnson, in Croydon last August.
According to the Croydon Advertiser, the group were sitting outside a closed down pub on Croydon High Street when Tutani saw Maria and Michelle holding hands, and approached them.
Ms Field told Croydon Magistrates’ Court that Tutani asked Maria and Michelle to kiss, noting that “it was a very perverted way of trying to get some sort of excitement out of seeing them two kiss.”
After the pair refused and the group moved from their location, Tutani followed them.
“He was following behind us, probably about half a metre. He was trying to get Michelle and Maria’s attention by continuing to talk to them,” Ms Field told the court.
A friend of Tutani’s then appeared and groped her.
“He was circling around me and brushing past me and touching my breasts, to which I said no and then he continued to grope my breasts,” she continued.
“Quite obviously my wife Rebecca said no and put herself between me and him.”
At this point Ms Field pushed Tutani’s friend to move him away from her wife – at which point Tutani attacked.
“They called us fat dykes then the man in the blue t-shirt [Tutani] punched me in the face,” she said.
“Rebecca was quite quick to move me out of the way and then she got an open hand slap around her face for getting involved.”
The two men were arrested on a nearby street after police witnessed the attack.
The court was told that Tutani, who failed to appear for his trial, said he didn’t remember the assault, but admitted being under the influence of cocaine.
According to reports Tutani, who is from South Africa, was unable to get a visa to return to the UK in time for the trial. A warrant has been issued for Tutani’s arrest, so he can be sentenced in the UK.
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