Dawlish News

A judge last night said he did take racist remarks seriously, after it emerged that earlier in the day he had found it "rather odd" a racism charge was brought against a man who called a police surgeon a "f**king Paki".
Judge Paul Darlow, sitting at Exeter crown court, had said Imraan Jhetam should have "let the matter roll off his back". He also had advised the defendant, Matthew Stiddard, to moderate his language. Next time, said the judge, "call him a fat b**tard, and do not say anything about his colour".

In a statement last night, Judge Darlow said: "My comments were not intended to make light of racist remarks. I fully accept that, in a circumstance and time, they can be both offensive and distressing to those to whom they are addressed."

The court had heard that Stiddard made racist comments to the surgeon, whom he saw after complaining of back pains following his arrest for a public order offence at Dawlish in Devon. When Dr Jhetam attended, the 36-year-old said: "F**k off you Paki; I want an English doctor, not a f**king Paki."

Stiddard, from Dawlish, pleaded guilty to causing racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress, and was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay £45 towards costs of £150.