Pensioner sentenced for shouting 'get back to your own country' at woman in headscarf
A pensioner has been handed a community order for telling a woman in a headscarf to “go back to her own country”.
Self-declared white supremacist Leslie Blaney, 65, was sentenced on Friday for racially abusing the woman in Workington, Cumbria.
A Crown Prosecution spokesman said the victim had been walking with her two young children at about 3pm on July 1.
Passers-by then heard Blaney making various racial insults and telling the woman to “get back to her own country where she belongs”.
Two members of the public challenged Blaney over his behaviour.
They were verbally abused by him before they flagged down a passing police van.
Blaney pleaded guilty at Workington Magistrates’ Court on Friday to racially aggravated behaviour, with intent to cause the victim harassment, alarm and distress.
He was handed a community order with a curfew for 10 weeks. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £90 surcharge to the victim.
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Pamela Fee, of the CPS, said: “Spouting such poisonous views in a public place is not acceptable in today’s society and we will continue to bring before the courts those who commit hate crime offences.
“I would like to commend the two witnesses who intervened to protect the young woman and quickly alerted police to the ongoing incident.
“Had it not been for their courage and support, the victim would have walked away and Blaney would never had been brought to justice for his deplorable actions.
“I would encourage anyone who hears racist abuse or sees a repeated pattern of racist behaviour to come forward to report it, regardless of how minor an incident it may initially appear.”
