White van man’s ‘ black b***h’ jibe at driver he pranged
A CAFE owner was branded a ‘black b***h’ by a white van man who clipped her car.
Althea Carrington, 36, was driving home from work when James Platt’s Ford Transit van hit her wing mirror on a bridge.
When the mother- of-two tried to exchange details with Platt, 33, he blamed her for the collision and said: ‘Get back in your big posh car and go home. I don’t even know why you are here you black b***h.’
Platt then drove at Mrs Carrington, who had to jump out of the way, a court heard.
He was arrested after Mrs Carrington called the police.
Platt, a railway engineer, was ordered to pay his victim £100 and £500 costs after he admitted using racially aggravated language, common assault and failing to stop after an accident.
Yesterday Mrs Carrington told the Daily Mail: ‘I can’t understand how someone could be so aggressive and nasty because of my colour. He just flipped, telling me I didn’t belong here. It was absolutely horrible.
‘I felt so scared, and I’m not easily scared.’ Mrs Carrington, of Bowdon, near Altrincham, was returning home from work last September when Platt came towards her over a narrow bridge. Stockport magistrates court heard his van collided with the wing mirror of her car.
After Mrs Carrington sounded her horn, Platt stopped and got out – but drove off again after claiming it was Mrs Carrington who had hit his van.
Robin Lynch, prosecuting, said Mrs Carrington then began to follow him and flashed her lights, leading Platt to get out once more. However, when Mrs Carrington asked to exchange insurance details, he launched his racist tirade. Platt initially denied using racist language or driving at Mrs Carrington, but pleaded guilty on the day of his trial after details emerged of the victim’s dashcam footage of the incident. In mitigation, Stuart Flood said Platt had apologised to the court and complainant for his language. Platt was ordered to pay £600 and complete 140 hours of unpaid work. He also received five points on his licence.