Jailed for religious and racial abuse

A yob who hurled a tirade of religious and racial abuse at two shop workers has been jailed.

Michael John Tipling was imprisonedaftermagistrates deemed the unprovoked insults to be “so serious given the nature of the offence and the words used”.

They also used their powerstoincreasehis sentence because of the religious and racial elements of the charges.

Tipling, 31, denied four counts of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour in a religious or racially-aggravated manner towards the two Sunderland takeaway workers.

His trial heard that he started insulting one member of staff before turning his attentions to another when they tried to pacify him.

At one point they feared he was going to move behind the counter. Tipling, of no fixed address, left the Farringdon shop and was arrested the following day after security camera footage of the incident was studied by police.

He was found guilty of all four charges at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court and imprisoned for 24 weeks in total.

The jail term included 12 weeks for the takeaway offences – which was uplifted from e i g ht we e k s b e - cause the abuse was religiously and racially aggravated – and another 12 weeks for breaching suspended sentences handed to him last July.

These were imposed after he was convicted of twice breachinga restraining order on July 5 and July 9.

He must also pay his £150 compensation to each of his victims as well as a £128 victim surcharge at a rate of £21 per month from April.