A foul-mouthed man made his next-door neighbour’s life “a misery” with repeated racist abuse, a court heard.

James Richard Shaw, who also committed a string of other offences, was jailed for a total of fifteen-and-a-half months.

The victim of the verbal outbursts was described as being “disgusted, angry and saddened” by Shaw’s racist taunts – shouted at him from outside his home, in Shortridge Lane, Enderby, over a six month period.

Shaw was convicted after a trial by magistrates of racial harassment between May and November last year.

The neighbour was so fearful of Shaw he would not allow his children to visit his home for fear they would also be racially abused.

Shaw was committed by city magistrates for sentencing at Leicester Crown Court.

Recorder Graham Huston told him:

“Your behaviour amounts to sticking two fingers up to the court and it won’t be tolerated.
“You seem to think there’s one law for you and another law for everyone else – well there isn’t.
“You’ve a notion you can behave as you like without having to face the consequences.
“It’s time for you to grow up and you can start doing that now – from inside a prison cell.
“The racial abuse affected your neighbour’s life completely and made his life a misery.
“You’ve no remorse.”

Shaw, 23, who later moved to Bellamy Close, Glen Parva, was also convicted by magistrates of common assault upon his partner, by pushing her onto the bonnet of a car and dragging her, by her head, down the side of the vehicle, on June 10. His partner, who is now expecting their second child this summer, refused to make a complaint – but CCTV footage captured the incident.

He was further found guilty by magistrates of common assault upon a young man who was punched unconscious in Shortridge Lane, when attacked by Shaw and another man, on July 26.

The victim was waiting outside his cousin’s home for his father to pick him up.

Lynsey Knott, prosecuting, said the complainant suffered cuts and bruising after his attackers falsely accused him of “patrolling the area.”

Shaw admitted driving a car dangerously, whilst banned from driving, on August 19.

He was pursued by police at up to 40 mph in 30 mph a residential area of Enderby for one and a quarter miles, including travelling in the wrong direction on two one-way streets and going on the wrong side of the road before crashing into a metal gates and a shed, causing damage.

Shaw was found guilty by magistrates of driving when disqualified and without insurance, on both November 19 and 25, but pleaded guilty to the same driving offences, on November 23.

He admitted breaching two suspended jail sentences, one for eight weeks and one for four weeks, for driving when disqualified – which were both activated.

Recorder Huston said the two common assaults he was found guilty of represented “mindless, senseless violence.”

Banning Shaw from driving for two years, the recorder said he displayed “a shocking pattern” of motoring offences.

Alexander Davies, mitigating, said Shaw maintained his innocence regarding racially abusing his former neighbour, which he had always disputed.

He “panicked” and drove dangerously, knowing he was in breach of two suspended sentences, and was likely to be locked up.

Mr Davies said Shaw was a “car fanatic” who had done odd jobs fixing vehicles, which regrettably involved him being tempted to drive very short distances illegally.

He wanted to fulfil his dream of training to be a mechanic

Original news item:

» Leicester Mercury 19/2/15