Man is jailed for racist abuse

John Darren Caskey, from Green Link in Larne, was sentenced for three offences arising from an incident which occurred at Great Victoria Street on April 23.

Caskey – who has 133 previous convictions – admitted assaulting two security guards and using disorderly behaviour at the train station. The court heard he committed the offences which he was the subject of a suspended sentence.

A prosecutor said police were called to the train station to speak to Caskey and another man who were drunk and causing a disturbance.

The court heard that both men were drinking and that Caskey started acting in an aggressive manner towards two security guards. He said he was going to kill them and their families, and also called one of the guards a highly offensive word and a “black b******.”

Caskey also spat blood at the guards, which hit their clothing.

When he was arrested, Caskey said he couldn’t remember what happened, but he did admit spitting blood.

Caskey’s barrister said that while he acknowledged this was an “unsavoury incident”, alcohol played a signficiant partn in the offending. He also said that his client was trying to stay away from alcohol and be a better father.

District judge Peter King told Caskey he was being sentenced for three offences – one of which he said was “clearly motivated by racial hostility.”

Caskey was jailed for four months for the offences committed in April, and also had a three-month suspended sentence activated, bringing the total sentence to seven months.