SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney announced that Thomas Gair Jr., 66, of Holbrook, pleaded guilty to Assault and Aggravated Harassment as Hate Crimes. The charges stem from a Mother’s Day attack against a same-sex couple at Mascot Dock in Patchogue.
According to court records and Gair’s own statements, on May 14, 2023, the two victims were at Mascot Dock enjoying the sunset when Gair and co-defendant Joseph Kess began making derogatory comments about their sexual orientation.
Gair assaulted both women, while Kess urinated on their vehicle and threw their belongings into the water. Kess also allegedly tried to throw one of the women into the water, telling her he intended to drown her.
A passerby intervened and stopped the assault, during which both women sustained physical injuries, including facial bruising and a detached fingernail causing severe pain. Witnesses called 911.
District Attorney Tierney stated, “This defendant physically and verbally attacked two women simply because of their sexual orientation. This kind of bigotry is unacceptable, and my office will use all available resources to hold those who commit crimes motivated by hatred accountable.”
The case against co-defendant Joseph Kess is ongoing.