Brighton Man Jailed For Threatening And Racially Abusing Charity Shop Worker

Thursday, 20 January 2022 06:33

A man from Brighton has been jailed after he persistently harassed a woman working at Age UK in London Road.

The shop worker was subjected to a "torrent of racial abuse" as he loitered around the store, intimidating her and staring through the window in November of last year.

She was able to take a picture of him during an incident, which police later used to identify him.

On January 7^th, Alex Austin, 52, of Grand Parade in Brighton, was arrested for being in breach of a court order and further arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment.

At Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Friday (January 14^th), Austin was jailed for 12 weeks and given a 12-month restraining order prohibiting him from entering the London Road store.

Sergeant Barrett, of Brighton and Hove’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said:

“This was a hugely upsetting incident that was extremely distressing for Austin’s victim, and I would like to thank her for her strength and determination in supporting this conviction.

“Brighton and Hove has a close-knit business community and I would also like to thank them for their help in bringing this perpetrator to justice.

“Our city prides itself on its diversity and inclusivity and hate speech in any form will absolutely not be tolerated.

“Alex Austin is a committed criminal with over 60 previous convictions and we are pleased to see him brought to justice and behind bars.”

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