Security guard suffered stroke after being punched by racist shoplifter at Middleton Asda store in Leeds

Reece Booth was jailed for 30 months over the attack at the store in Middleton.

A court heard Booth was also part of a gang which racially abused a couple at Leeds coach station before attacking them with weapons.

Mark Kellet, prosecuting, said Booth attacked the security guard after he was suspected of shoplifting at the store on February 27, 2019.

Mr Kellet said Booth was with two women and an 11-year-old boy who were seen behaving suspiciously.

A female security guard stopped the group in the foyer area as they tried to leave with items which they did not have a receipt for.

Booth immediately became aggressive and began shouting abuse.

The security officer was joined by some of her colleagues as Booth took off his jacket and said: "Look me up on Facebook, I'm a gangster."

The defendant then swung a punch which struck a male officer on the chin.

The victim developed pain to the left side of his ear after the attack.

The prosecutor said: "He felt like his eyes were going to burst from their sockets and his speech became slurred."

An ambulance was called and a doctor later informed him he had suffered a stroke as a result of the trauma of the incident.

Mr Kellet said the injury caused by the defendant aggravated a pre-existing condition the victim had suffered from three years earlier.

Booth and another defendant, Adam Barker, were also involved in an attack on a couple at the National Express coach station in Leeds city centre on December 28, 2018.

Mr Kellet said the couple were on the way to the station when Booth shouted racial abuse at the woman.

Both and Barker were with four other males who turned violent when they were challenged over the comments.

The group carried out a "sustained attack" on the couple and used metal railings and chairs to attack them.

Booth, described as the ringleader of the attack, removed his belt during the incident and used it to hit the couple.

The male victim suffered a broken jaw during the incident which only ended when security officers intervened.

Police were called to the area after being contacted by frightened members of public who reported that a gang had been using a stun gun on people at random.

Booth, 21, of Autmun Grove, Burley, pleaded guilty to affray and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Barker, 19, of Bridge Farm, Beeston, pleaded guilty to affray and possession of a prohibited weapon.

Kara Frith, for Booth, asked that he be given credit for his guilty pleas.

She said her client had now distanced himself from those he committed offences with and is motivated to change his life.

Eddison Flint, for Barker, said his client was aged 17 at the time of the affray.

Mr Flint said Barker accepted being in possession of the taser but had not been responsible for discharging the weapon during the incident.

Barker was sent to a young offender institution for 14 months.

Describing the affray offence, Judge Robin Mairs said: "Those two people were set upon by your group like a pack of animals."