‘Sad state of our society’
JUDGE SPEAKS OUR AFTER HEARING CITY SECURITY GUARD TELL HOW HE IS REGULARLY SUBJECTED TO RACIAL ABUSE
A JUDGE has told a court how it is a “sad state of our society” that a black security guard working in Derby says he is racially abused on a regular basis.
District Judge Jonathan Taaffe made the comment as he jailed city man Ricky Lee Limbert for abusing the guard after he was suspected of shoplifting in a city store on August 10.
Jailing 48-year-old Limbert for 18 weeks, Judge Taaffe said: “You racially abused a worker who was simply carrying out his daily business and no-one should have to put up with that.”
A JUDGE has told a court how it is a “sad state of our society” that a black security guard working in Derby says he is racially abused on such a regular basis.
District Judge Jonathan Taaffe made the comment as he jailed a city man for calling the Tesco guard “a black ******* ”.
Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court heard how Ricky Lee Limbert was suspected of shoplifting from the St Peter’s Street supermarket on August 10.
As he was taken into the back of the store, the 48-year-old threatened to punch one worker to the face and then made the racially abusive slur to the guard.
The hearing was told how Limbert carried out the offence just a week after being handed a suspended jail term at the same court for shoplifting offences.
Jailing Limbert, of Green Lane, for 18 weeks, Judge Taaffe said: “You had only been handed a suspended sentence on August 3 and you carried out this offence a week later.
“You racially abused a worker who was simply carrying out his daily business and no-one should have to put up with that. It is a sad state of our society that I have been told today that he receives this sort of abuse on a regular basis.”
John Cooper, prosecuting, said the offence took place at around 5.20pm in the supermarket.
He said Limbert was stopped as he tried to leave the store and was taken to the back of the store.
Mr Cooper said: “He was being held there until police arrived and as he did so he told one worker he would punch him in the face. He then called the security guard a ‘black ******* .’”
Limber was arrested and answered “no comment” to the questions he was asked.
But he later pleaded guilty to using racially aggravated words that would cause alarm or distress.
He also admitted to being in breach of the suspended sentence imposed seven days previously.
Stephen Cooper, for Limbert, said his client had led a law-abiding life until an incident a few years ago when he was attacked with a baseball bat and his life went “significantly downhill”.
He said: “He was struck a number of times and left for dead. He now gets easily stressed out and on this occasion took exception to being accused of shoplifting which he denies he committed and for which he was never charged.
“It was a single incident and he mumbled the words under his breath rather than saying them loudly or shouting them in a threatening manner. He has been struggling with his medication and is seeking help and advice from [the substance misuse support team at] St Andrew’s House in Derby.”
As well as the 18-week jail term, Judge Taaffe ordered Limbert to pay a £122 victim surcharge.