Jailed: Racist pub-goer who made 'poisonous' slurs threatened to burn down inn full of customers

Glen Mottershead, aged 49, branded the landlady of the pub a "Bulgarian gypsy" in a campaign of abuse which went on for months.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how the pub boss put up with Mottershead's nasty tirades "to keep the peace", until finally she'd had enough on March 6, 2020.

It was a busy night in the pub near Shrewsbury, with 60 customers and about nine staff on shift. Mottershead, who was there with his daughter, made the "gypsy" remark, which made the landlady "very upset", according to Suzanne Francis, prosecuting.

Mottershead had previously asked her "if she was a prostitute" and "why don't you get out of our country". Ms Francis said he could not seem to accept the fact the landlady was a successful local businesswoman.

Mottershead was told to leave and the landlady's partner, who ran the pub with her, spoke to him outside. Mottershead went back inside, loudly declaring: "I'll burn the place in a fire tonight." He stormed off, kicking the door on his way out.

Bitter Mottershead later said that the landlady "thinks she owns the village", and told people to get their families out of the pub because he would be burning it down.

Later that night, staff and customers could smell petrol and it was discovered some had been poured through the letterbox with a pile of rubbish. The police were called.

Meanwhile, the landlady's partner found Mottershead on the premises. An argument broke out and he punched Mottershead, who was arrested when police arrived.

When he was interviewed, he told officers his relationship with the landlady was "good", and that he dumped rubbish at the pub because his bin at home was full.

Footage from a police officer's body-worn camera showed Mottershead calling the landlady an "immigrant" and saying "I'll be back for that ****".

Mottershead, of Burnham Avenue, Belvidere, Shrewsbury, pleaded guilty on the day of trial to racially aggravated harassment, damaging property and threatening to damage property.

Rob Edwards, defending, said it was "atrocious behaviour" from Mottershead and that he is "angry with himself" for what he did.

Judge Peter Barrie told Mottershead he had built up a "poisonous" attitude and was "repeatedly abusive" towards the landlady. He said Mottershead's action would have caused panic at the pub. Mottershead was jailed for 12 months and slapped with a 10-year restraining order, banning him from the pub and contacting the landlady.