Rainworth man who aimed racist abuse at next door neighbour was angry with his van alarm
A Rainworth man who aimed racist abuse at his next door neighbour claimed he was angry because his van alarm kept going off, a court has heard.
Alan Ralph was recorded on CCTV kicking his van tyre before directing the insult at the woman on March 21, said prosecutor Adeel Zafar.
Ralph, aged 63, denied being racist and told police he was so angry with his van he told it to "f*** off."
"It is a disgusting term and one I haven't been subjected to since I was a child," said his victim in a statement. "It still has the same impact and hurts and upsets me.”
The incident also had an impact on her family and she said the defendant "shouldn't be able to have this effect on us."
Deborah Bell, mitigating, said Ralph, of previous good character, was remorseful.
“This is against a background of issues with parking over quite a considerable period of time,” she said. “Feelings between the two households had been quite high.
"It's a really unpleasant thing that he said and he really regrets it."
Ralph served in the Armed Forces for 36 years, won a gallantry award and served as an instructor at Sandhurst on retiring in 2013.
Ms Bell said he “saw some awful things” during a tour of Kosovo and he has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which he believes is related to his quick temper.
Ralph, aged 63, of Lake Farm Road, Rainworth, admitted racially-aggravated harassment, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.
He was fined £1,061 and ordered to pay a £424 victim surcharge with £85 costs.