Racist outburst at police proves costly
A RACIST yob turned aggressive after he was asked to stop sitting on the edge of a train platform.
Darren Farrer was spotted by staff at LNER dangling his legs on to the track at Newcastle’s Central Station, in the city centre, moments before a train was due.
However, the 43-year-old took exception when he was asked to move and flew into a drunken rage, a court heard. Police were called and Farrer was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and taken to Forth Banks Police Station. He refused to calm down, instead referring to one of the officers as a “p**i c***”.
The outburst proved expensive for Farrer, of Clifton Road, in
Darlington, after he was fined a £150 for being drunk and disorderly and a racially-aggravated public order offence.
Farrer was due at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday but failed to show and instructed his solicitor to enter guilty pleas on his behalf. John Clish, defending, said Farrer, who has past convictions for public order offences, had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, adding: “Although Mr Farrer does have a record for public order offence, I can’t see any of a racially-aggravated nature.”
Farrer was fined £150 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
A WOMAN with a rare form of asthma who may never be able to go to a gym again post-covid is fundraising for a specialist exercise bike that she says could save her life.
Becky Giles has been shielding for almost a year since the pandemic first hit last March.
The 46-year-old, from Heaton, Newcastle, has a rare and life-threatening form of asthma meaning that Covid-19 infection would be “catastrophic”.
Part of Becky’s treatment for asthma involves high doses of steroids, which have caused osteoporosis and ultimately led to a spinal cord injury in 2016, which left her needing a wheelchair.
Before coronavirus lockdowns started, she had been going to a specialist gym where all the equipment was made specifically for use from a wheelchair.
But the pandemic means the gym is closed – and due to Becky’s extremely weakened immune system, her doctor has told her she will probably never be able to go back.
“Covid isn’t going to go away and the risk of exposure is too high,” she said.
“My immune system is so low, even though I’ve had the first dose of the vaccine, there’s no guarantee it’s going to take it up.”
A year of shielding has meant a much more sedentary lifestyle for Becky, which led to her developing DVT and being hospitalised with blood clots on her lungs in October.
Becky has now launched an online fundraising campaign so she can buy a Motomed – a specialist exercise bike that is used directly from a wheelchair.
She said: “It will change my life.
“I’ve got to find a way to exercise, particularly my lower limbs to reduce the risk of DVT happening again and blood clots – so it could potentially prolong and even save my life.
“It would really help with mental health as well because it’s hard shielding for a year, I’ve got carers who come round but it’s not the same as friends and family.”
Becky has set a target of £5,750 for a Motomed hand-cycle, which will cost £4,750, and future servicing costs.