Man admits to calling shop workers terrorists

9 January 2012 10:15 am Views - 2753

A former heroin addict has apologised for calling Indian and Sri Lankan Co-op staff terrorists.

Stuart Johnson, 45, pleaded guilty at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court to racial harassment and two counts of assaulting police officers.

The court heard Johnson, of Priory Road, Cambridge, had drunkenly gone into Co-op in Chesterton Road on December 22 and accused two employees of being members of the Sri Lankan terrorist organisation Tamil Tigers.

Laura Mardell, prosecuting, said: “At 3.30pm the defendant approached two members of staff and asked where they were from. When one said he was from Sri Lanka, Mr. Johnson called him a Tamil Tiger.

“The victim was shocked by the way he was being spoken to and felt he was being called a terrorist.”

Miss. Mardell told the court that when two police officers had arrived to arrest Johnson, he kicked them.

Nick Barnes, mitigating, said his client had a long history of trouble with drugs, drink and homelessness.

He said: “He makes no excuses for his behaviour, and he wishes to apologise to the victims.”

Johnson’s sentencing was adjourned until January 27 for a pre-sentence report to be written. (Source: Cambridge-news)