'Dangerous' racist tried to steal man's car

A "dangerous" criminal who hurled racist abuse at a man whose car he was trying to steal, then did the same to a black police officer, has been jailed for four years.

Jamie Wilkinson, 36 and from Sunderland, said he did not think the car owner deserved a nice house and vehicle due to the colour of his skin, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

The victim, a carer who had lived in the UK for a long time but not experienced that level of hatred before, said he was "deeply saddened" that such "vile abuse" could be used based on the colour of his skin.

While under arrest Wilkinson, who admitted attempted robbery and racially aggravated harassment, also racially abused a police officer.

The car owner was unloading shopping at his home at about 18:15 GMT on 9 December when Wilkinson and another man walked up and told him to give them the vehicle's keys, prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw said.

Wilkinson, who had 109 offences on his criminal record including for robbery and racially aggravated crimes, got in the driver's seat and tried to start the car with its ignition button, the court heard.

There was then a melee in which Wilkinson, of Huntley Square, punched the man and said he "should not be having that car and a beautiful house", the court was told.

When a white neighbour tried to intervene, Wilkinson yelled at him "why are you trying to get between me and black people, we should be on the same side", Wardlaw said.

Wilkinson then fled the scene but was arrested later that night for being drunk and disorderly outside his mother's home, the court heard.

Despite being sprayed with an incapacitant, he manged to flee from officers before being found hidden behind a parked car.

As he was being taken to the police station he shouted racial slurs at a black officer, the court heard.

In a statement read to the court, the victim of the attempted robbery said he had worked hard for everything he had and was "deeply saddened and hurt someone can use such vile aggression and think I don't deserve what I have purely because of the colour of my skin".

He said he now lived in fear for his family and home.

The police officer said he was "sick" of people abusing him and singling him out because of his ethnicity.

Recorder Nathan Moxon said Wilkinson posed a "high risk of serious harm" and was a "dangerous" offender.

Wilkinson will have to serve a further three years on extended licence upon his release form prison.

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