A black motorist who was pulled over for a vehicle check in Croydon racially abused the black police officer who was carrying out the inspection, a court heard last week.
Thwssen Elliott, 20, pleaded guilty to racial aggravation before magistrates last Wednesday (March 14) after comparing PC Leeroy Purcell's skin colour and attitude to a chocolate bar.
Elliott, from an address in Southampton, branded PC Purcell a bounty' telling him: “you are black on the outside but white on the inside”.
PC Purcell and his colleague had signalled to Elliott to pull over on St James Road in Croydon just after 4.30pm on March 8, to inspect a suspected faulty brake light. Elliott reacted by swearing and becoming abusive towards them.
Duty solicitor Jennifer Ross, from the crown prosecution service, told Croydon Magistrates' Court: “When (Mr Elliott) was asked to step out of the vehicle he became very abusive to PC Purcell and his colleague.
“He accused them of pulling him over because he was black and swore at them. He told PC Purcell he was a bounty black on the outside and white on the inside.
“PC Purcell found this to be an offensive, abusive comment and the officers arrested Mr Elliott.”
Elliott, who represented himself, told magistrates: “I am obviously very sorry for what I said.
“There is no justification for what I did. When I said bounty' it wasn't directed at anyone in particular, I was just saying it out loud.
“I didn't mean for it to come out that way it did.
“I did not think the police had a good reason to pull me over and treat me the way that they did.
“They pushed past my pregnant girlfriend and I got angry.”
A police spokesman said: “We are always keen to prosecute all offences of racial abuse whoever the victim is, whether it is a member of the public or a police officer.
“All such behaviour is totally unacceptable.”
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