Shopper fined £55 over rant
A shopper hurled abuse and called a store assistant ‘Afro man’ after losing his temper over a pair of trainers.
Mark Forrest, 24, was in JD Sports in The Bridges, Sunderland, on February 23, when he became frustrated with staff, Sunderland magistrates heard.
Prosecutor Jeanette Smith: “The defendant picked up a pair of trainers and asked ‘will these shoes be here tomorrow?’
“The shop assistant didn’t understand what he meant. The defendant then said ‘what size is that?’
“Forrest then went to one of the other shop assistants and told him he was a “divvy.”
She added: “He was told to leave the store. That made him more angry.
“He became abusive towards the same worker. He called him Afro man.”
The court heard he then repeatedly called the man fat followed by an expletive.
The court heard Forrest had returned to apologise after the incident.
Forrest, of Waterloo Walk, Sulgrave, Washington, admitted a public order offence. He was cleared after a trial of the offence being racially aggravated.
He was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 20 days’ specified activity.
The bench also extended and existing supervision order by six months, and was told to pay a £55 fine, £85 costs and £60 victim surcharge.
“He was told to leave the store. That made him more angry” JEANETTE SMITH