A teenager was sent to Pakistan by his father after getting into trouble and assaulting a woman, a court heard.

But the move was criticised by magistrates who said justice delayed was justice denied.

Jamal Suleman laughed as a woman he had hit in the stomach with a tree branch fell to the floor in pain.

He was not brought to book for the offence for four years because he left the country shortly after.

Jamal Suleman, 21, of Holland Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault on Sofia Patel and failing to surrender to bail.

He was ordered to do 150 hours unpaid work and pay £400 compensation and £85 costs.

Claire Grant, prosecuting, said Miss Patel was sitting in a park talking to some of her son’s friends when Suleman approached and became abusive.

He used a slang Asian term which means white trash, Mrs Grant told the court.

She said: “He then picked up a piece of wood and began swinging it around shouting ‘come on then’.

He charged at Miss Patel and hit her in the stomach twice with the piece of wood.

He was laughing as she fell to the floor in pain.”

Aftab Bakhat, defending, said Suleman’s father had wanted the best for him and had arranged for him to go to a local grammar school.

“Unfortunately he got in with a bad crowd who encouraged him to drink, smoke cannabis and take other drugs,” said Mr Bakhat.

“When his father learned of this incident he read him the riot act. He put him on a plane and took him back to Pakistan where he was booked into a rehabilitation centre and resumed his education.”

Mr Bakhat said that while he was in Pakistan Suleman’s father had died.

“He wanted to come home but his mother said he should stay and finish off the education in line with his father’s wishes,” said Mr Bakhat.