A North Shields man hurled racist abuse at a detention officer as he was being processed at a police station.
Wayne Bellerby asked if the civilian officer was "the Taliban" before calling him a "P**** b******, while being processed at Forth Banks police station in Newcastle on February 9, 2020. The 41-year-old was being escorted to a medical room by the officer, when he became "confrontational".
Bellerby, of Collingwood Court, North Shields, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court, via link from HMP Durham, to be sentenced for the racially aggravated offence, as well as fraud and driving matters. The court heard that Bellerby had 39 previous convictions for 119 offences and had spent six months in custody over other matters.
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Paul Caulfield, prosecuting, said Bellerby was being processed at the Northumbria Police station when the racially aggravated offence was committed. He said: "A civilian detention officer was tasked with taking him to see the nurse. As he was taking him towards the medical room, the defendant was confrontational and getting into the officer's face.
"He followed him down the corridor and as he was directed to his cell he was asked to remove his shoes. The defendant's response was to say, 'Are you the Taliban, you P*** b******'. This was heard by two other witnesses."
In a victim impact statement, the detention officer said he felt "degraded" and that the incident was "highly offensive" and "totally unacceptable".
Mr Caulfield said that Bellerby committed further offences on September 4, 2021, while on bail for the racist offence. Bellerby, who had been banned from driving, was seen in a car in Ashington. CCTV later captured him entering a home where he stole a woman's purse which contained her bank card and pin number.
"Within minutes, he leaves the premises and gets into the car and drives off", Mr Caulfield said. "He is next seen in Newcastle, near Northumbria University, using an ATM where he withdraws £150 cash."
Matthew Hopkins, defending Bellerby, was not required to make further submissions, after Judge Stephen Earl indicated he would pass a conditional discharge. Sentencing him, Judge Earl, said: "You have served a considerable sentence already for other matters and have spent six months in custody. It's time to bring this to a close."
Bellerby was given an 18 month conditional discharge and banned from driving for 18 months. The judge added: "The most important thing now is please don't let me see you in this court in the next 18 months."
