Sunderland inmate racially abused prison warden

Stephen Leach, 33, verbally abused the warden on successive days while suspecting his victim was taking sides with another prisoner.

Leach, of Cork Street, left the officer at HMP Northumberland feeling degraded, magistrates in South Tyneside heard.

They ordered an all-options report into his offending, opening up the possibility of custody though more likely leading to a community-based sentence, they said.

Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur told the hearing the offences happened on Saturday, March 5, and the following day, two months before Leach’s release.

He had been jailed for two years in May last year at Newcastle Crown Court for a non-dwelling burglary.

Ms Kaur said: “These offences took place at HMP Northumberland, near Acklington, where he was a prisoner.

“On the first offence, the officer was tasked with dealing with the defendant. He heard the defendant shouting abuse.

“He was the only officer of colour in the whole prison. He found the words degrading.”

Ms Kaur said a similar pattern of verbal abuse followed the next day as the officer again stood outside Leach’s cell.

In a victim statement read to the court, the officer said: “The defendant’s abuse and racist insults towards me should not be tolerated.

“I particularly found his comments to be degrading and I was affected by them. It’s not acceptable.”

Leach, who the court heard has 23 convictions from 42 offences, pleaded guilty to two counts of racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress.

Angus Westgarth, defending, said Leach had mental health problems and that he had not been given his medication to treat his psychosis.

He said his client had been moved to another part of the prison because “he had complained his food had been tampered with”.

Mr Westgarth added: “He threw his food on the floor. He was refused his medication, and this went on for nine days.

“He had argued with another inmate and believed the officer had taken sides.”

Leach was granted unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Wednesday, August 3.