Police release picture of jailed Sheffield thug who racially abused a girl on a bus and assaulted another child

A racially-abusive thug insulted a pub employee before he got on a bus and verbally-abused a youngster and assaulted another child.
By Jon Cooper
Published 7th Jul 2020, 10:05 BST
Updated 10th Jul 2020, 17:25 BST
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Doncaster Magistrates’ Court heard today, Monday, July 6, how Wesley Cooper, aged 41, formerly of Cotleigh Close, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, initially racially insulted a staff member at the Nursery Tavern pub, on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, as he was leaving and before catching a bus home.

John Kavanagh, prosecuting, said Cooper had been with his partner at the pub and following a disagreement, a number of racial comments were made before they caught a bus which was also taking school children, aged 14 to 16, home.

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Mr Kavanagh said Cooper told one youngster to shut up after she screamed when a passenger's dog licked her leg and she admitted giving the defendant a dirty look before he racially insulted her and the situation escalated.

Pictured is Wesley John Cooper, aged 41, of Cotleigh Close, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 26-weeks of custody after he admitted two racially-aggravated threatening behaviour offences and an assault.Pictured is Wesley John Cooper, aged 41, of Cotleigh Close, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 26-weeks of custody after he admitted two racially-aggravated threatening behaviour offences and an assault.
Pictured is Wesley John Cooper, aged 41, of Cotleigh Close, Hackenthorpe, Sheffield, who was sentenced to 26-weeks of custody after he admitted two racially-aggravated threatening behaviour offences and an assault.

Richard Jepson, defending, said: “The dog licks her and it seems to set off a degree of chaos on the bus and other children are laughing at her and that aggravates Mr Cooper and he basically tells them to shut up.”

Mr Jepson added Cooper made a racial comment and his partner began shouting at those on the bus complaining about the defendant.

He added there was a subsequent confrontation between Cooper’s partner and another girl as they got off the bus and Cooper grabbed this youngster and pulled her away and she fell into the road.

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Mr Kavanagh added that Cooper’s partner has been dealt with for her part in the incident in a different way to Cooper and not through the judicial system.

Pictured is Doncaster Magistrates' Court.Pictured is Doncaster Magistrates' Court.
Pictured is Doncaster Magistrates' Court.

Cooper, who is currently serving a custodial sentence for other matters, pleaded guilty to two counts of racially-aggravated threatening behaviour and to one count of assault after the incidents in December.

Mr Jepson said the pub offence had not been a substantial incident and he argued no weapons were used on the bus and during the assault Cooper’s partner had been at the forefront of the trouble.

Magistrates sentenced Cooper to 26-weeks of custody and told him this would be served consecutively to the custodial sentence he is currently serving.

Cooper was also ordered to pay a £122 victim surcharge.