A British Filipino nurse was racially assaulted in 2025 by an older couple in Halifax, leading to their guilty plea.

A 72-year-old woman and her 77-year-old husband, Fyona and Michael Bairstow, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault in connection with an August 2025 incident in Halifax, England, where they targeted Apple Moorhouse, a British Filipino NHS nurse, in a park. The attack followed a dispute over their dog, during which the couple made racist remarks, including telling Moorhouse to “go back to your dinghy” and shouting “ban immigrants.” Fyona Bairstow pulled Moorhouse’s ponytail, and Michael Bairstow threw water at her and punched a woman who intervened. Moorhouse, a British citizen since 2009, said the incident caused severe trauma, leading her to leave her healthcare job. The case was adjourned to April 15 for a pre-sentence report, with the couple bailed under restrictions not to visit the park or contact the victims.