A Leeds thug who racially abused a woman to such an extent she is scared to go to work said he was supposed to get the bus home from a day of drinking when he became involved in a “demonstration.”

Jordan Plain, 30, of Broadway Horsforth, was captured on camera on August 3 in Leeds city centre making racist gestures towards the woman. The two short clips shown to Leeds Crown Court on Friday, August 9 showed Plain making the gestures surrounded by people swigging from beer cans and chanting “EDL EDL EDL” and “Tommy Robinson”.

Others in the clips were also observed making the Nazi salute.

In a victim personal statement she read to the court, the victim said: “Many of us have been left scared to leave our houses due to this incident. Many have also defended him for what he did to me and said it was right. It was not. I was born in Leeds and lived here my whole life. After this weekend’s events I don’t even feel welcome in my own home. I like to think I’m strong but I would be lying saying this hasn’t impacted my whole life.”

The woman said the incident has “had an impact on her every day life.” She said: “I’ve never experienced racism on this level in my whole life…This situation has had an impact on my every day life…I work in the city centre and I was scared I was going to get racially or religiously harassed…I have decided to go back to work but my mind isn’t at work…I haven’t been able to perform at my best at work.”

Prosecution counsel, Heather Gilmore told the court Plain was arrested on August 5 and he made admissions. He has previous convictions for possession of an imitation firearm, criminal damage, escaping lawful custody, burglary with intent to cause lawful damage as a youth.

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As an adult he has previous convictions for racial and religiously aggravated criminal damage, taking of a motor-vehicle without consent, theft, driving while disqualified, breaching court orders and robbery.

The court heard from a Probation Service worker who had interviewed Plain in the cells before the sentencing hearing. He said Plain had told him he shared an eight-year-old daughter with an ex-partner who is of mixed-raced heritage. The Probation Service worker said Plain told him that “on the day in question he went out into the city centre, was drinking in a number of establishments and during the course of that morning he described his level of intoxication as a 6 out of 10 and he visited two establishments and thereafter his intentions were to go home.”

He added: “He intended to go to the Headrow to catch the bus home to Horsforth and while on that route saw this demonstration taking place and thereafter he became involved and participated in that demonstration. It led to him becoming involved in the offences committed. He said he didn’t want to make any excuses, he takes full responsibility and he appeared to show genuine remorse. He said, ‘I’m ashamed of what I have done, it should never have happened.'”

The worker said he believes the offences were “very much linked to his alcohol intake on the day.”

Mitigating, Mike Walsh said Plain makes “no effort to justify his actions.” He said Plain has written a letter to the court which shows “genuine remorse.”

Addressing Plain, Judge Kearl said: “The context of your offending is that it arises out of civil unrest and disorder in many parts of the country. The unrest has been generated as a result of the death of three little girls in Southport and the reaction from various parts of our society towards other parts of our society.

“Stemming from that incident, groups of protesters have gathered and on occasion clashed, sometimes using violence towards each other, sometimes towards the police, sometimes towards entirely innocent and unconnected people and their property.

“In a democratic society, such as that which exists in this country people are entitled to protest peacefully. They are also entitled to express their views, whatever their views may be, but each of those freedoms, to protest and to speak, have limits and boundaries.

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“When a protest moves away from being peaceful, towards violence then it becomes illegal and against the law. When speaking, whether directly to others or indirectly through social media platforms, what is said must not contravene the law.

“The law applies to everyone, no matter what colour, race, religion, or political persuasion they are. There is no distinction. The law is there to protect everyone in our society both in terms of personal safety, businesses and premises, whether people’s homes or commercial properties.”

The judge said Plain joined a “Pro-EDL group” before gesticulating towards counter-protesters “whose number included people of colour.” He added: “You were saying they looked like monkeys and on several occasions rubbed your lips, insinuating rubber lips…

“You then got off a barrier and imitated the manner in which Muslim people pray in order to mock their religion. This was grossly offensive, racially aggravated behaviour.”

Judge Kearl told Plain: “What you have done cannot be viewed in isolation. It must be viewed against a background of unrest and disorder across the country. This was your contribution to that disorder. It took place at a time when the social climate was particularly sensitive.”

Plain was jailed for eight months.

MSN

You can read the sentencing remarks here