OLTOKUNBO:TRAFFIC WARDEN LAUNCHED HOMOPHOBIC TIRADE AT GAY COUPLE

A traffic warden who launched a homophobic tirade at a gay couple has lost his appeal against conviction.

Nurudeen Oltokunbo, 34, was found guilty of a public order offence earlier this year following his outburst in south London.

Inner London Crown Court heard he referred to the couple as ‘f—ing gays’ and ‘f—ing a–eh—s’ after issuing them a ticket.

Oltokunbo had taken off his high-visibility vest so they could not record his ID number, the appeal heard.

Matthew Walker and partner Scott Nichol were given a ticket after parking next to a broken meter on Spa Road, Bermondsey, on March 2, so they could take their two shih tzu dogs to the vets.

They approached Oltokunbo to ask if he realised the parking meter was broken, Inner London Crown Court heard.

Mr Walker said: ‘Initially he didn’t respond so I asked the question again, and he said “you mustn’t approach me”..

‘I said something along the lines of “You’re wearing a Southwark Council ID badge, I’m asking you a question and I just want to know the answer.”

‘That’s when he turned to us and said “you f—ing arseholes.”

‘I was shocked – this was a very short conversation that went from a question to this quick escalation.’

He decided to complain to the council and asked Oltokunbo for his ID number but got no response, Mr Walker said.

Then the traffic warden took off his jacket and started walking off in the direction of nearby Grange Road.

When Mr Walker and Mr Nichol followed, he called them ‘f—–g gays’ before breaking into a run.

Deciding not to go after him, the couple noticed another traffic warden nearby and asked for Oltokunbo’s name.

Mr Walker added: ‘I was deeply distressed about being referred to in my own borough and community as a “f—–g gay’ by someone who works for the local authority.

‘I was incredibly distressed when I went home.

‘I sought advice from Stonewall – I wasn’t quite sure what to do – and they said I absolutely must report it to the police.’

Andrew Gilbert, defending, claimed Mr Walker had ‘marched’ over to Oltokunbo and tried to get his ticket cancelled.

He suggested the couple were ‘upset’ and ‘annoyed’ to have received it, which Mr Walker denied.

But the judge, Miss Recorder R Campbell, said: ‘We’ve considered with some dispute long and hard about the decision in this case.

‘And I’ll tell you from the outset that we’ve chosen to uphold the decision of the magistrates.’

Oltokunbo, of Wren Close, Edmonton, has already served 60 hours of community service for causing harassment, alarm or distress, an offence under the Public Order Act.
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