A man from Pembroke Dock has appeared in court after using racially aggravated threatening behaviour towards his neighbour.
Thirty-eight-year-old Andrew Mark Jones, of Westley Court, admitted the charge when he appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the court that the incident occurred at around 4 pm on March 17.
“The complainant lives next door and his children, aged 10, 11 and 13, were playing in their garden on the trampoline, when he heard a bang and saw Mr. Jones with a spanner in his hand banging the fence between them.
“The victim was subjected to racial verbal abuse and told by Mr. Jones to ‘go back to his own country’. This was an unpleasant incident. The father was frightened and so was his daughter,” explained Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
In a personal victim statement given to the police the complainant said that the matter was ‘getting out of hand’ and that he was worried about his family when he was at work, whilst his daughter said in a statement to police that she was ‘scared’ and that she didn’t like ‘racist people’.
Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told the court that when Mr. Jones was interviewed by police, he said he had no recollection of the matter.
“He was under stress and had been drinking too much. Mr. Jones says he is not a racist and has friends of all different races.
“He has never had problems before or since with his neighbour. He has drastically cut down on his alcohol consumption and sought medical advice. “Mr. Jones wishes to apologise to his neighbours through me and the court,” added Mr. Kelleher.
Magistrates Fined the defendant £180 for the offence and ordered him to pay costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.