AddThis SmartLayers

Drunk former weekly journalist sentenced for racial outburst

Robert MargerumA drunk former weekly journalist who shouted at a Peruvian woman to “get out of my country” has been ordered to compensate his victim.

Robert Margerum, pictured left, who used to work at the Chester Chronicle, aimed an expletive-ridden outburst at Monica Sara Lafosse in Chester city centre.

The 62-year-old, who suffers from alcohol dependency, launched the scathing verbal attack on his victim, who has lived in England for 12 years and was chatting on her phone when they passed in the street.

Margerum shouted “you are not even English, get out of my country” at Ms Lafosse, who speaks fluent English with a South American accent.

She crossed the road to get away from him but he followed her, causing her to cross again.

Chester Magistrates Court heard Margerum, of Upton, Chester, denied he was racist when he was interviewed by police and explained he had no recollection of the incident, as he had probably been drunk and suffers from short-term memory loss.

Marie Haydon, prosecuting, said Margerum accepted it was him when he was shown CCTV footage and said he probably did say those things as that is the sort of language he would use.

At a previous hearing, where he had pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated offensive language, the court heard Margerum told police he “has a fear of foreigners and does not trust them”.

Magistrates sentenced him to a community order comprising a rehabilitation activity requirement and an electronic curfew for a period of three months.

They also ordered Margerum to pay £200 in compensation to Ms Lafosse, a £60 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.

The court heard he had four previous convictions, with the last three for being drunk and disorderly and having occurred within the past 12 months.

Adam Antoszkiw said his client’s offending stemmed from the death of his wife in 2006.

Mr Antoszkiw added: “Obviously the alcohol he has imbibed has clouded his memory. He is a dependent drinker now and accepts that himself.

“He is a gentleman who has struggled in the past six or seven years but appears to have found gainful employment and will be making a positive contribution going forward.”

14 comments

You can follow all replies to this entry through the comments feed.
  • April 7, 2016 at 9:39 am
    Permalink

    A sad story – let’s hope he can get help there are quite a few organisations available.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(8)
  • April 7, 2016 at 11:17 am
    Permalink

    It’s a hangover from the culture of drinking that pervaded journalism not that long ago. One senior at a paper I worked on would drink a fair few pints every lunchtime and become quite abusive in the afternoon (he also used to send inappropriate almost pornographic emails around). He’s retired now but he was never pulled up about his behavior and there was that same feeling of sweeping issues under the carpet that a lot of journalists have called the BBC out on recently.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(6)
  • April 7, 2016 at 11:58 am
    Permalink

    “Alcohol dependency”? So an alcoholic then? Why not just say that?

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(5)
  • April 7, 2016 at 12:04 pm
    Permalink

    Sad story. From seeing his picture I’m pretty sure I remember him from when I did a work placement at the Chester Chronicle about 15 years ago and he was a sub-editor there, seeming very friendly.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(6)
  • April 7, 2016 at 1:16 pm
    Permalink

    I once had an extremely talented journo in my news team who had a severe drink problem. It was hell trying to manage him but more importantly and tragically after I left the paper he later died from his addiction. I hope this poor man can rebuild his life.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(6)
  • April 7, 2016 at 2:27 pm
    Permalink

    I’ve known journos who like a drink. And coppers, vicars, council officers, retired lollipop men and women, barristers, accountants etc who like a drink. Must be a ‘hangover from the culture of drinking that pervaded……….whatever ……. not that long ago.’
    The guy’s got a problem. It afflicts a lot of people..

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(4)
  • April 7, 2016 at 3:10 pm
    Permalink

    What you bleeding hearts out there fail to appreciate is that he knows he’s got a problem and he probably has no desire to rebuild his life, seek help or repent, etc etc. I’ve worked with loads of them and got plastered with them over the years. All Robert probably wants is another drink, so let him get on with it and forget the moralising.
    Life’s too short.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(1)
  • April 7, 2016 at 3:43 pm
    Permalink

    Sub It Out – I assume you were a good looking lad?

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(2)
  • April 7, 2016 at 3:58 pm
    Permalink

    @Digger. The problem with that somewhat laissez faire attitude towards this gentleman’s problem, is that in this case his addiction had very unpleasant and possibly quite scary consequences for an innocent woman who had the misfortune to pass him in the street. Still think it’s O.K. to just “let him get on with it”?

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(11)
  • April 7, 2016 at 7:26 pm
    Permalink

    Golam Murtaza: Yes, I do still think it’s OK to let him get on with it. What he did isn’t exactly crime of the century material. Had he been a jihadist threatening to separate her head from her body I might have different thoughts

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(0)
  • April 8, 2016 at 10:55 am
    Permalink

    Deeply unpleasant for the woman involved though, surely?

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(3)
  • April 8, 2016 at 12:51 pm
    Permalink

    @Digger
    What a bizarre, irrational and disturbing argument. You strongly imply we should just shrug our shoulders at a nasty, unprovoked instance of racial abuse just because it isn’t as extreme as Islamist inspired murder. And what on earth have Jihadis got to do with this anyway? Bet you wouldn’t come out with that if you were speaking to me face to face.

    Report this comment

    Like this comment(3)