Man avoids jail for racial abuse (From Oxford Mail)

Man avoids jail for racial abuse

1:10pm Tuesday 23rd October 2012 in Oxford

AN ABINGDON man has been handed a four-month suspended sentence for racially abusing a taxi driver in Oxford.

Scott O’Regan, of Finmore Close, had pleaded guilty to racially aggravated threatening behaviour at Oxford Crown Court.

The court heard how the 28-year-old had been drinking in Oxford one day in August last year when he and two friends got in a taxi to travel to Kidlington.

But when the driver refused to give the men any change, they became abusive, using racist language and damaging the vehicle.

O’Regan had 17 previous convictions for 40 offences, including two for racially aggravated assaults.

Sentencing him to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, Judge Gordon Risius said: “You do not appear to have learned any lessons.

“You had too much to drink. When the police arrived you accepted you had been rowdy but denied any racist language or behaviour.”

O’Regan, a father-of-three, was also sentenced to 150 hours unpaid community work and a 12-month supervision requirement.