Man admits assaulting pregnant Jewish woman after pulling pillowcase over her head

A man has admitted assaulting a pregnant Orthodox stranger after attacking her from behind, putting a pillowcase over her head and repeatedly punching her.

Keith Gowers, 58, from Tottenham, pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday over the attack on March 18 , the Crown Prosecution Service said.

The court heard that the victim was six months’ pregnant at the time and had been followed down a street in Hackney by Gowers, whom she had never met before.

She suffered a cut lip and thumb during the ordeal, in which she was punched in the head and chest, and was taken to hospital as a precaution but neither she nor her unborn child were seriously hurt.

Gowers was arrested on March 22, four days after the attack.

CCTV footage of the unprovoked attack, which clearly identified Gowers, went viral after a member of Hackney’s Jewish community posted the video online in order to track down the offender.

Varinder Hayre, from the CPS, said: “This was an unprovoked and shocking attack on a woman who was six months pregnant at the time. It is fortunate that her unborn child suffered no serious harm.

“The victim had never encountered Keith Gowers before and was left incredibly shaken.

“The CPS takes crimes against women extremely seriously and we will always work with the police and community to find and prosecute offenders.”