Man fined for racist abuse to police officer
Last updated 14:12, Thursday, 21 August 2008
A MAN has been fined after racially abusing a black police officer.
The court heard the 31-year-old spat at a police car as it pulled up alongside him on Abbey Road on August 1, near to the junction of Dalkeith Street.
Mr John Appleby, prosecuting, said: “The officer in the car was PC Anthony Johnson, who has been subject to a number of racially aggravated incidents in the past.
“The officer formed the opinion that Mr Giblin was under the influence of drugs and he was taken to Barrow police station to be searched.”
Giblin, who had initially cooperated with police and apologised for spitting, was strip-searched by officers, believing him to be in possession of drugs.
But when PC Johnson asked Giblin to bend over, he made a racist comment to the officer and was arrested.
Representing himself, Giblin told the court he had taken offence when he had been asked to bend over.
He said: “They normally ask me to squat, not to bend over, and I took offence at that.
“I didn’t mean to spit on the car either – the wind carried it along.”
Giblin was fined £50 and ordered to pay £50 compensation to PC Johnson and a £15 victim surcharge.
District judge Gerald Chalk warned Giblin: “Never, ever dream of using that language again.”
Three years ago, PC Johnson received a medal for bravery after intervening in a domestic violence incident, during which he was also racially abused.
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