Published date: 11 December 2015 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
A SUCCESSFUL businessman received a six months suspended jail sentence for the racial abuse of a Caernarfon takeaway owner in the early hours of New Year's Day.
Kevin Jones, aged 44, changed his plea to guilty on the day of an intended trial at Caernarfon crown court on Thursday to charges of provocation of violence and common assault, both racially aggravated, and also possessing a small amount of amphetamine.
In addition to the sentence, which is suspended for a year, Judge Geraint Walters ordered him to pay £500 compensation to the man he abused, Hani Hussain of Bella Pizza Takeaway in Bridge Street, Caernarfon.
He must carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,600 costs - and a restraining order bans Jones, of Mold Road, Broughton, Flintshire, from contacting Mr Hussain or entering the takeaway for five years.
Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, recalled how at 2.20 am Jones had mouthed a succession of racial and religious comments at Mr Hussain, at one stage grabbing him around the throat.
Witnesses said he was drunk.
When Mr Hussain tried to push him out Jones fell to the floor, but continued to make anti-Muslim comments.
A probation officer said Jones, originally from Llandegfan in Anglesey, owned property including a pub at Aberffraw, The Crown, and also a flower shop, both of which were rented out.
He was the director of a recruitment and training company which found work for 140 ex-servicemen, and had joined the RAF after leaving school.
"He is now aware of the dangers of binge drinking and is remorseful," she added.
Dafydd Roberts, defending, said without question Jones appeared to have been aggrieved by something that night.
Many people spoke very highly of him and the work he did for ex-servicemen.
Judge Walters said such abusive behaviour wouldn't be tolerated by the courts.
"You behaved outrageously towards the occupier of these premises - they're part of the community here in Caernarfon," he told Jones.
"I suspect this night had everything to do with drink or maybe drugs or a combination of the two."
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