Clamper Del Grosso given 'humiliating' punishment for race-hate crime

A NOTORIOUS car clamper has been given a "humiliating" punishment after being convicted of a race-hate crime.

Peter Del Grosso, of clamping firm Vehicle Management Limited, launched a tirade of racist abuse at a Turkish man who had gone to help a nurse recover her car.

He has now been ordered to carry out work in the community.

Del Grosso is also set to have his clamping licence revoked following an application by Humberside Police to the Security Industry Authority.

A jury took less than 90 minutes to convict Del Grosso of racially aggravated assault after hearing how he also threatened to rape the man's partner.

Judge Robert Moore, sitting at Sheffield Crown Court, told Del Grosso he deserved prison, but believed unpaid work in the community would be more humiliating for him.

Judge Moore said: "You have continued to deny it in an extremely firm way and made out you were blameless.

"Your refusal to accept the jury's verdict here and your total absence of remorse are both unattractive.

"Your behaviour was appalling and arrogant to these women and one man and you necessitated all three having to relive it.

"While justice demands a custodial sentence, you will learn far more humiliation working in the community."

Del Grosso was given a 40-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay his victim, Mohammed Tarhan, £700 compensation, as well as £700 in court costs.

Judge Moore said: "If you do not attend for your community work you will be in breach and it is likely you will be sent to custody."

Del Grosso's barrister John Thackray told the court his client would not be safe in jail because a violent prisoner holds a vendetta after his mother's car was clamped.

Del Grosso had abused Mr Tarhan when he and his partner accompanied her sister to a back-street compound in Hull city centre on Christmas Eve in 2009.

Del Grosso, 48, threatened to rape Mr Tarhan's partner before demanding to see his passport.

Mr Tarhan said: "He told me he knew where we lived and he would come and give my family and kids a Christmas present. He said, 'I'm going to **** your wife'.

"He repeated it and I decided to call the police. He said, 'Foreigner, go back to your country'. I was just very angry."

Mr Tarhan called the police and blocked the entrance to the compound to stop Del Grosso fleeing.

However, he was forced to move when Del Grosso summoned a forklift truck and threatened to crush his car.

Clamping licence set to be revoked

PETER Del Grosso hit the headlines in 2009 after readers inundated the Mail with complaints about Sector Security Ltd clamping at dozens of sites across Hull and the East Riding.

Earlier this year, the Mail discovered Del Grosso – by then working with Vehicle Management Ltd – was charging motorists more to release clamped cars ahead of the ban on wheel clamping, which is expected by the end of the year.

Del Grosso had no previous convictions apart from a technical issue relating to a gun licence.

He faces losing his clamping licence after Humberside Police made an application to the Security Industry Authority (SIA).

A SIA spokeswoman told the Mail that once an application was made by the police, Del Grosso's licence would be suspended immediately, pending a full review.

She said a conviction of racially aggravated assault would lead to the licence being pulled.