Darren Turpin jailed for punching pensioner in back at public toilets in Paddock Wood
Published: 11:55, 01 May 2015
A prolific criminal has received his 95th conviction after he punched a 74-year-old man in a public toilet.
Magistrates heard Darren Wayne Turpin, 46, struck William Shanks while he used a urinal in Paddock Wood.
The victim was left winded and the next day doctors at Tunbridge Wells Hospital told him he had suffered soft tissue damage and bruises to his left rib cage.
A statement from Mr Shanks said: “It was so painful. I remember being concerned about what he would do next.
“We were alone and he was just two paces away from me in a public toilet.”
He added that the attacker smelt heavily of alcohol.
Turpin, who is currently serving time at Belmarsh Prison for an unrelated offence, pleaded guilty to the charge at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court via video link yesterday.
Defence solicitor Sacha Alexander initially told the court Turpin, who had previously committed 208 offences in the course of his life, was adamant he did not punch the pensioner.
"It was so painful. I remember being concerned about what he would do next. We were alone and he was just two paces away from me in a public toilet..." - Victim William Shanks
After hearing Mr Shanks’ statement, she said her client now accepted what he did.
While appearing at the court Turpin also pleaded guilty to racially abusing staff at Chilli Hut, in Tonbridge High Street.
The altercation took place five days after he attacked the pensioner and took place behind the fast food restaurant, where staff found him smelling of alcohol.
He was asked to go home and in response he told her to go back to her own country before performing a Nazi salute.
Prosecutor Natalie Brown said he was aggressive towards police officers during an interview and rowed about foreign people being in this country.
While entering his plea he said it was "just a little disagreement, that’s all".
He later said the Nazi salute was a sarcastic wave goodbye but the prosecutor said video footage showed this not to be the case.
Both offences took place in October and Miss Alexander argued that given the length of time her client had to wait to for the hearing he should be given a suspended sentence.
Keith Johnson, chair of the sitting bench, sentenced Turpin to 90 days behind bars, of which he will serve 45.
This was reduced from 120 days due to his early guilty plea and he will serve the time following the completion of his current sentence, which ends in two weeks.
He must also pay £50 in compensation to the assault victim and a further £80 victim surcharge.
On top of this he was fined £50 for the racism offence.
Following the hearing he told magistrates: “See you later.”
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James Walker