A Briton has been penalised for racially abusing a senior Indian-origin policeman from the London borough of Harrow and for trying intimidate the latter along with his two friends.
Chief Superintendent Dal Babu, Borough Commander for Harrow, was forced to endure the racial slurs from Michael Dimaio on May 15 as he made his way to the church in St Albans.
Dimaio, 24, who was with his friend Michael Healy and a third man, was outside a pub when Babu walked by just after 7.30pm. He launched a volley of abuse at the senior cop, attempting to intimidate Babu.
Dimaio has pleaded guilty and has now been ordered to complete 100 hours of community service, and is under a curfew to be in his home between 8pm and 6am on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the next three months.
On the day, the three men, who had been drinking, surrounded Babu even after he told them he was a police officer. Babu called the emergency number to report the incident and the three men retreated into the pub. When the police officer tried to follow them, Dimaio and Healy tried to block his way, and he asked them to stand outside with him until back-up arrived and they were arrested.
In his statement, Babu said: "I am unfamiliar with St Albans and was concerned that I was going to be assaulted by these three men. I feared that I would be attacked. The three men started to surround me and I noticed that all of them smelt of intoxicating liquor." As Babu talked to the men outside the pub before their arrest, Dimaio suggested he would accuse the officer of racial abusing him. Babu, whose family originate from India, added in his witness statement: "I stood in front of the men and I told the men to stay there and those officers were on the way.
{{/usCountry}}In his statement, Babu said: "I am unfamiliar with St Albans and was concerned that I was going to be assaulted by these three men. I feared that I would be attacked. The three men started to surround me and I noticed that all of them smelt of intoxicating liquor." As Babu talked to the men outside the pub before their arrest, Dimaio suggested he would accuse the officer of racial abusing him. Babu, whose family originate from India, added in his witness statement: "I stood in front of the men and I told the men to stay there and those officers were on the way.
{{/usCountry}}"The men tried to walk away and I had to stand in front them and block them. Both men said they were not racist and worked with Asians, Poles and Africans." Healy, 27, was cleared of racism, but admitted a public order offence. He must observe a curfew for the next eight weeks. The third man, who ran away and cowered in the pub, was not arrested.