Curfew for man who racially abused worker

James Houton, 36, of Manor Road, Fleetwood, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault when he appeared before a court.

He was sentenced to a 10 weeks overnight curfew, put on 35 days rehabilitation to be supervised by the probation service and ordered to pay compensation of £100 to his victim with a £150 court charge plus £60 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Martine Connah, prosecuting, said the incident happened on March 19 at around 10.55pm.

She told magistrates a shopkeeper in the port was getting ready to close when he heard a loud bang at the door.

The shopkeeper asked Houton why he had banged on the door but the defendant denied doing it.

Houton then launched a tirade of racially abuse remarks at the shopkeeper, before putting up his hand and hitting his victim on the cheek, causing swelling, the prosecutor said.

When questioned Houton told police he had had two bottles of wine and a few cans of beer beforehand and he felt merry but inisisted he was not drunk.

Mitch Sarangi, defending, said his client had been reckless.

But he added he had not intended to hit the victim when he put his hand up.