A WOMAN who took part in a racist attack on a helpless man on crutches, kicking him as he lay on the ground, has been told she cannot complain about her sentence.

Danielle Louise Cawley joined forces with Daryl Tustin to attack his Afghani neighbour, Sabor Panjshiri, who was knocked off his crutches before the pair beat him.

Both were jailed for 23 months at Birmingham Crown Court in September, after being convicted of raciallyaggravated assault causing actual bodily harm. Cawley, aged 21, from Evesham, challenged her sentence at London’s Criminal Appeal Court, on Tuesday, with her lawyers arguing it was “too long”.

But her appeal was thrown out by judges.

Lady Justice Hallett told the court the unprovoked attack happened in February when Mr Panjshiri left his flat in Small Heath, Birmingham, which was above one rented by 26-year-old Tustin.

As he passed Tustin and Cawley, who were standing outside, they began screaming and swearing at him – with Tustin shouting racist abuse. He attacked Mr Panjshiri, who was on crutches, before Cawley joined in, kicking the victim on the ground.

Cawley’s lawyers said she should have been given a lower term than Tustin because she played a “lesser role” in the attack.

Dismissing the appeal, Lady Justice Hallett said Cawley’s punishment was “not excessive.”