Sunderland shop trashed, police threatened and shopkeepers subject to racist abuse in sickening incidents

Wendy Redman and pal Callum Wallace left a female owner of Dhillon's Londis in Sunderland in tears and thinking "people hate her" after a shocking stand-off last May.

A day later, the pair went back to the store, where the male owner suffered sickening racist abuse before the shop was trashed and Wallace pulled out a knife.

The shopkeeper was left "frightened to think what could have happened".

At Newcastle Crown Court Redman, 19, and Wallace, 20, who were both living in a hostel at the time, both admitted racially aggravated harassment and affray.

Redman also pleaded guilty to criminal damage and Wallace admitted threatening with a bladed article and assault on an emergency worker in relation to his violent behaviour when the police picked them up.

Prosecutor Alec Burns told the court the pair were "highly intoxicated" when they went into the store on May 17 last year and the shopkeeper "thought there might be trouble".

The court heard Redman had walked up and down the aisles "picking things up and putting them down" and they were eventually asked to leave.

Mr Burns added: "They seemed to be enjoying making her feel uncomfortable.

"They started to swear, they told her to **** off.

"Wallace said 'you are in Sunderland, not ****land.

"She understood this to be a racial insult. They both left the store.

"They left her very distressed and shaken, scared to go to work on her own."She thinks people hate her and cried a lot since it happened. She doesn't want to be in the shop anymore. She was left feeling vulnerable and intimidated."

The court heard just one day later the pair went back into the shop and were abusive toward's the victim's husband, who was working behind the counter and who Wallace called a '**** .****'.

Mr Burns said the worker asked the pair to leave and Redman kicked a large amount of stock from near the counter onto the floor then Wallace pulled out a knife which he began to thrust around.

Mr Burns added: "It is clear they were persistent when being asked to leave, kept going out then rushing back in.

"When they came back in they hit and kicked fittings in the shop and were shouting abusive things at him."

When police arrested the pair in the street after they left, Wallace threatened to slash an officer's face and was "headbutting and punching" the cage inside the police van.

Mr Recorder Anthony Kelbrick sentenced Redman to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and Wallace to 30 months behind bars.

Both were given a five year restraining order to keep them away from the shop.

The judge told them said the offences were "disgraceful and disgusting" and added: "You cruelly and wilfully abused two shopkeepers who had done nothing to deserve the treatment which you meted out to them.

"You had a callous disregard for their feelings, a callous disregard for their property."

Vic Laffey, defending, said the pair had been living in a hostel and were both intoxicated at the time of the offences.

He added: "In respect of each of them, they have both expressed how appalled they are at their behaviour on these particular occasions. That comes from both of them, from lengthy discussions I have had with each of them."

Mr Laffey said Redman had recently come out of a violent relationship at the time but now has a new partner and is 21 weeks pregnant.

He added: "She has found employment, working in a call centre with a company which deals with the track and trace initiative and is working eight hours per day on a three week rolling shift pattern.

"She is not using alcohol or drugs."

Mr Laffey said Wallace was using valium to deal with his problems, including a troubled childhood, at the time of the offences and would welcome a chance to apologise for the distress he caused.

Mr Laffey said Wallace recognises he needs professional assistance to keep him away from trouble.

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