Yob threatened to torch store
A yob who subjected a Sunderland shop boss and his family to vile racist abuse and threatened to burn down their store has been ordered to stay away from them.
Ian Brand, 27, of Tatham Street, Sunderland, swore at manager Terjinderal Dhesi’s wife in one of two outbursts hours apart at the Premier outlet in Midmoor Road, Pallion.
Brand also made another racist slur to Mr Dhesi’s mother during incidents at the convenience store and Post Office on Wednesday May 20, a court heard.
And on being told he was not welcome, Brand chillingly warned: “I’ll come into the shop whenever I want.”
T h re e m o nt h s e a rl i e r, o n Satu rd ay, Feb r u a r y 1 5, Brand had also stolen two tubs of Actimel margarine, valued at £10, from the store.
M a g i s t rat e s i n S o ut h Tyneside have now handed him a two-year restraining order to stay away from the premises and the family – and warned him he faces jail if he breaches it.
Prosecutor Grace Taylor said: “All of the offences took place at the Post Office, run by the complainant and his family. They all work at the shop.
“At around 11.30am Mr Dhesi’s mother was at work. The defendant entered the shop.
“He is known as someone who has caused problems in the shop previously. She stopped what she was doing, he was acting suspiciously.
“She asked him what he wa s d o i n g . H e re p l i e d by calling her a [racist name].
“Later that day he came back to the store again, this time at around 7.30pm.
“He was reminded that he was barred. He said, ‘I’ll come back when I want’.”
M s Tay l o r a d d e d : “M r Dhesi’s wife came into the shop and told the defendant to go away.
"He verbally abused her and called her [another racist name].
“The defendant then went into the back lane and said that he would burn the shop down.
“She said he squared up to her husband outside and that the defendant made a number of threats and called them [a racist name].”
I n a v i c t i m s t at e m e n t read to the court, Mrs Dhesi said she felt “terrorised” by Brand and they have had to ensure there were always two people at work for safety.
And Mr Dhesi, also in a s t at e m e n t t o p o l i c e, s a i d Brand’s actions had made him consider selling the shop.
The court heard Brand had been made subject to a 16-week jail term, suspended for 18 months, in October for theft.
Greg Flaxen, defending, s a i d : “H e ac c e pt s th at th e language he’s used is unacceptable.
“He’s used words in the h e at o f t h e m o m e nt , a n d th ey a re e m pty wo rd s , h e didn’t mean to carry them out.”
Brand pleaded guilty to c au s i n g rac i a l l y a g g ravated fear of violence, causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress, and a shop theft.
H e wa s a l s o h a n d e d a four-month community order, with a requirement of a four-week 7pm to 7am electronically monitored cur - few.
The court also ordered h i m t o p ay M r D h e s i £ 1 0 c o m p e n s at i o n , a n d th e re was a £95 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.