A JUDGE slammed a man who added to 'tension and unpleasantness' in Barrow by abusing a takeaway boss.

Thomas Maxwell was sentenced after he assaulted the owner of the Mithali takeaway in a 'disgraceful' incident.

It followed social media rumours that said staff from several takeaways and restaurants in Barrow had been involved in sexual exploitation.

Police said last year there was no evidence to back up claims of gangs exploiting young women.

Preston Crown Court heard that Maxwell and two friends were skateboarding past the Cavendish Street takeaway at around 11pm on June 6 last year.

Mithali boss Fachin Ahmed was coming out of the takeaway at the end of the day.

Maxwell, who was holding a bottle of beer, was said to have gone past the takeaway and shouted abuse at Mr Ahmed before shaking up the bottle and showering him and the front of the restaurant in the liquid.

"There had been ongoing tension in Barrow after a young girl made allegations," prosecutor Ken Grant said.

"Mr Ahmed told the police the defendant appeared really angry. 

"He thought he was going to throw the bottle at him."

The court heard how Maxwell then shouted the word 'rapists' in the direction of the restaurant.

Mr Ahmed then got in his car and drove after the trio to ask why he had been targeted.

Winding down his window to talk to them, he was then met with more abuse from Maxwell.

Barbara Webster, defending, said Maxwell was 'ashamed' of himself.

"There's nothing more than could he say other than he's sorry," she told the court.

"He seemed to have found himself in the position that a number of other people who targeted businesses of this like did."

Maxwell, of Oak Head Road in Walney, admitted charges of assault and causing harassment, alarm or distress.

The two other men involved in incident, Craig Allan Boyle and Benjamin Pearson, also faced court.

Mr Boyle was acquitted of a racially aggravated public order offence and is due to be tried for a non-racially aggravated offence.

Mr Pearson's offence was bound over.

Judge Philip Parry told Parry to pay £500 compensation and fined him £20, saying: "I'm glad you're ashamed of yourself. You should be ashamed of yourself.

"This was a disgraceful piece of behaviour by you towards a restaurant owner who had done nothing at all.

"The background of this is just awful.

"People like you ran with these rumours and these malicious allegations by abusing Mr Ahmed and other businesses in the town.

"You shouted threats that were just awful.

"That tells me you chose to believe these unfounded rumours.

"It's people like you doing these series of things that contributed to the atmosphere of tension and unpleasantness in the your town."