‘I’M PAYING NOTHING’
Courtroom rant of racist thug who harassed a child on Facebook
A Sunderland thug convicted of pulling the veil off a Muslim woman laughed and said “I’m paying nothing” when told to pay compensation to a child he harassed on Facebook.
Peter Scotter was jailed for 15 months earlier this month for the racist attack in The Bridges shopping centre last July.
He appeared at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court today via video link from HMP Holme House, where he is serving his sentence, to be dealt with for harassment.
Scotter was arrested after sending vile messages to three victims in October last year, and later pleaded guilty to a charge under the Protection from Harassment Act.
Prosecutor Laura Lax said two of the victims were Scotter’s former partner, who he was in a relationship with for 11 years, and her husband.
Miss Lax said there is already an indefinite restraining order in place in relation to the woman, dating back to 2008. The court heard how several Facebook messages were sent to the victims from Scotter’s account between October 19-27 last year.
His ex-partner received a message calling her an offensive name, followed by a picture of her on her wedding day. He also asked her to perform a sexual act. He also sent messages to her husband, saying: “How can you kiss that, it has no teeth,” and accused him of being a child molester.
The woman said in a statement read out in court: “I suffered for years at the hands of Peter Scotter.
“It was Peter who made me lose my teeth when he assaulted me. I’m still terrified of Peter 11 years later.”
Scotter also sent offensive messages to a young child, calling her a sexualised name.
He was arrested and told police he wanted to “take her face off ”, and said he hoped the comments would make her feel “disgusted”, and made comments in relation to sexual activity.
The court heard Scotter has 69 previous convictions for 161 offences.
Anna Haq, defending, said Scotter pleaded guilty to the harassment charge in February this year.
However, those proceedings were delayed due to him suffering from bowel cancer.
Chairman of the bench Joan Green said: “We find this is a particularly nasty offence against a child.”
Scotter said “thank you” when he was told he would be jailed for six weeks, to be served concurrently with his sentence for the racially aggravated harassment and assault.
He was told to pay £100 in compensation each to two of the victims, along with a £115 surcharge and £85 costs, to which he laughed and responded: “I’m paying nothing.”
The bench also made indefinite restraining orders, banning him from contacting the child and the male victim.