A WELSH police officer says he was subjected to more racist abuse during a ten minute journey from Old Town to Gablecross than in his entire 23 years on the force.

The incident arose after officers were called to Mr Cod on Victoria Road at around 10pm on July 24 to reports of a smashed window at the take away.

There they arrested 21-year-old Jordan Lane on suspicion of criminal damage. But during the ride back to the police station he unleashed a torrent of racial abuse against the officer after hearing him speaking with a Welsh accent.

Lane, of Castleton Road, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated harassment charge when he appeared before magistrates sitting in Swindon yesterday.

The court heard from crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger that Lane had been in Mr Cod following a night out with friends when he was pushed by one of his friends into the window of the chippy, causing the damage.

After being bundled into the back of the police car he began his stream of racial abuse towards the officer.

When the officer warned him he was going to be arrested for racial abuse this prompted further insults.

“He got angry because he had been arrested for something he hadn’t done,” said Mr Ballinger, who explained that Lane was currently on a suspended prison sentence from the crown court after being convicted of drug offences in May of last year.

By committing another offence during the period of the suspended sentence, Lane runs the risk of having his sentence activated by a crown court judge if they see fit.

Defending him, Terence McCarthy said Lane had unleashed the racial abuse as his client - whose middle name is Akbar, and is half Indian - thought one of the officers had used a racial slur against him.

Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Deborah Couzens told Lane that a crown court judge would be advised that he had breached his suspended sentence and they would decide whether to activate it or not.

She imposed an 18-month community order on Lane, informing him it would only have been 12 months had the offence not been racially aggravated.

Lane must also complete 150 hours of unpaid work, increased from 120 in light of the racial element of the charge, and pay £100 compensation to the police officer.

He was further ordered to pay £85 Crown Prosecution Service costs and an £85 victim surcharge.