A Bermondsey pensioner, who racially abused at a member of staff in a betting shop has been convicted.
Croydon Magistrates’ Court heard that John Keogh, 74, swore and hurled a racist term at an afro-Caribbean worker, telling her: “When Brexit comes, you’ll be gone.”
The court was told that Keogh had become angry when his winnings at the Coral on Peckham High Street were placed on the counter instead of his hand in August.
Staff at the branch recognised the pensioner boarding a bus several days later and reported him to police.
Today, (July 1) Keogh pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence – and was ordered to pay £350 in costs and £250 in compensation.
The 74-year-old was also given a 12-month uplifted community order, including a 10-week 8pm to 6am curfew.
Ian Johnson, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said Keogh “unleashed a torrent of racist abuse” on the shop worker “with no provocation.”
“Thanks to the witness statements and the victim and witnesses identifying him, the CPS was able to secure a conviction,” added the senior crown prosecutor.
“Shop workers should be entitled to go about their work without facing racial abuse such as this, and we hope this conviction can bring the victim, as well as her colleagues, some confidence that justice has been served.
“Hate crime has a corrosive effect on our society and the CPS will not hesitate to prosecute those who commit these crimes.
“Perpetrators may also face sterner sentences imposed by the courts to reflect the nature of the crime.”