A 40th birthday celebration descended into violence when one partygoer was caught waving a bag of cocaine around the toilets of a pub.
Thomas Martin was confronted by a doorman and asked to leave before getting into a struggle with staff.
Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard how the 23-year-old’s sister and her now ex-partner became involved in the scuffle while the siblings were hurling vile racist abuse towards the bouncer.
Dan Hill, prosecuting, said the trio were drinking in the High Crown pub in Chester-le-Street when the trouble flared on October 12 last year.
He said: “Thomas Martin was calling the doorman a ‘black *** and black t***’ and was struggling against him as he was being taken through the pub.
“His sister, Chelsea Martin, has then become involved as well as Tariq Khalifa – they were all ejected from the pub.
“Chelsea Martin then became racially abusive and was pulling the braided hair of the doorman.”
Mr Hill said all three were later arrested at a nearby petrol station.
In a victim impact statement, the doorman said: “They were both making racial remarks to me. This was all over a bag of cocaine and they decided to be racist.”
Thomas Martin, 23, and his 31-year-old sister Chelsea, both of Cavell Drive, Bowburn, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
While Chelsea’s former partner, Tariq Khalifa, 32, of Fellway, Pelton Fell, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Suzanne Hanson, who represented the Martin siblings, said Thomas had no recollection of where he got the cocaine from and had recently been receiving treatment for his mental health issues.
The solicitor said he had moved in with his sister, who runs a ‘tight ship’ at home, and said neither of them drank regularly.
She added: “Chelsea has a mixed-race child herself and she is not racist at all. It was a spur of the moment thing and it was very stupid.”
Warren Ridley, representing Khalifa, said his client worked away through the week as a specialist window cleaner and deeply regretted getting involved in the disturbance.
Captain Alex Castle, the chairman of the magistrates’ bench, passed a four-week sentence suspended for 12 month to both siblings and ordered them both to pay £10 compensation to the bouncer.
Khalif was sentenced to a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work attached and ordered him to pay £100 in compensation.
The magistrate added: “It is not fair for the bouncer to racial abused for just doing his job.”
Source – Northern Echo
