AN ARCADE manager was subjected to a torrent of verbal abuse and punched in the face by a drunk man in a racially aggravated attack in Weymouth, a court heard.
During his racist outburst on September 8 last year, Wayne Thomas Critchell, aged 54, of Weymouth, also urinated in front of his victim and in public on The Esplanade.
Prosecuting Richard Oakley told Weymouth Magistrates' Court that the victim, Nadar Bandari, works as a manager for two arcades, The Sands Arcade and Royal Arcade Amusements, both on The Esplanade.
He said Mr Bandari has worked in Weymouth for more than 15 years and has known the defendant for about 10 or 12 years.
Critchell repeatedly shouted racial slurs at arcade manager
On September 8 last year, Mr Bandari was at the Royal Arcade when a member of staff from Rossi’s ice cream store next door asked for assistance and said that Critchell was inside the ice cream shop drunk.
When Mr Bandari went next door, the defendant started to shout racial abuse at him.
The court heard that he said an offensive slur to Mr Bandari and repeated it a number of times and tried to instigate a fight with the arcade manager.
Critchell left only to come back later that day into the Royal Arcade and repeated the offensive slur a number of times again and told Mr Bandari to "go back to your own country".
Mr Oakley said that Mr Bandari attempted to usher Critchell out of the store when the defendant swung a punch at him and struck Mr Bandari, hitting him on his upper lip. Mr Bandari pushed Critchell back in self defence.
Drunken Critchell exposed himself and racially abused man
The court heard that Critchell then undid his trousers, exposed himself and urinated in front of Mr Bandari on the Royal Hotel and continued shouting racial abuse.
Critchell told the police in an interview that at the time of the attack he was having a difficult time because of his housing situation. Critchell accepted that he was very drunk- saying on a scale of how drunk he was, that he was a 10 out of 10.
In a victim personal statement which was read out to court Mr Bandari said the attack had affected him and had left him feeling like he had to look over his shoulder when walking around Weymouth alone.
He said: "I have lived in Weymouth for 16 years now and I have never had something like this happen to me before."
Defendant 'not a racist person' and apologises for his actions
Mitigating, Simon Lacey, said that Critchell used to have a drink problem and at the time of the attack had relapsed. However he said Critchell had not drunk for some time now and that he was engaging with local services such as the Lantern Trust to help him get back on his feet.
Mr Lacey said: "He has no recollection of what he said and he would like to apologise to him [Mr Bandari].
"He has told me he is not a racist person and that he cannot believe he used these words.
"He can't remember it and he is sorry."
Critchell pleaded guilty to charges of racially aggravated common assault and using racially aggravated language with intent to harass or distress.
Chair of the bench, Louise Dutton, issued Critchell a community order for 18 months and ordered him to pay £200 compensation to the victim.
Critchell was also given a 12-month restraining order banning him from contacting Mr Bandari in any manner or going to The Sands Arcade or the Royal Arcade.
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