A single mother has been found guilty after using racist slurs towards passengers on the London Overground.
Charlene Best pleaded guilty to the charges of racism while drunk, on the day the trial was due to start at Blackfriars Crown Court.
Best, who lives in London but is mixed-race herself, racially abused fellow passenger on an Overground train last year.
Mrs Best had drunk an entire bottle of liqueur when she began using “foul, abusive and racist language.” The judge remarked that he was surprised she had still been conscious.
The victim then began filming Mrs Best, who according to the judge began playing up to the camera, opening her coat and her legs. The offence was aggravated by the fact that it was on public transport.
Mrs Best plead guilty to one count of causing alarm and distress. Her barrister made the case for the judge to consider her family situation as a single mother of four.
When the judge came to pass his sentence he mentioned this, along with the fact that Mrs Best was recovering from an alcohol problem and showed remorse for her actions.
Nonetheless, he said, hate crimes could not be overlooked. He sentenced Mrs Best to 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months, and £300 in compensation to be paid to the victim. The first instalment is to be paid after Christmas given Mrs Best’s family situation.
Finally, the judge mentioned that the public nature of the crime gave a degree of punishment, and that he had considered this when passing the sentence.
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HeadlineSingle mother of four pleads guilty to racially abusing fellow passenger on train
Short HeadlineSingle mother guilty of racism
StandfirstThe defendant had drunk an entire bottle of liqueur when she began using "foul, abusive and racist language."
Single mother Charlene Best plead guilty to charges of racism while drunk on the day the trial was due to start at Blackfriars Crown Court.
Best, who lives in London but is mixed race herself, racially abused an ethnic minority passenger on an Overground train last year. Mrs Best had drunk an entire bottle of liqueur when she began using ‘foul, abusive and racist language.’ The judge remarked that he was surprised she had still been conscious.
The victim then began filming Mrs Best, who according to the judge began playing up to the camera, opening her coat and her legs. The offence was aggravated by the fact that it was on public transport.
Mrs Best plead guilty to 1 count of causing alarm and distress. Her barrister made the case for the judge to consider her family situation as a single mother of 4.
When the judge came to pass his sentence he mentioned this, along with the fact that Mrs Best was recovering from an alcohol problem and showed remorse for her actions.
Nonetheless, he said, hate crimes could not be overlooked. He sentenced Mrs Best to 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months, and £300 in compensation to be paid to the victim. The first instalment is to be paid after Christmas given Mrs Best’s family situation.
Finally, the judge mentioned that the public nature of the crime gave a degree of punishment, and that he had considered this when passing the sentence.
A single mother has been found guilty after using racist slurs towards passengers on the London Overground.
Charlene Best pleaded guilty to the charges of racism while drunk, on the day the trial was due to start at Blackfriars Crown Court.
Best, who lives in London but is mixed-race herself, racially abused fellow passenger on an Overground train last year.
Mrs Best had drunk an entire bottle of liqueur when she began using “foul, abusive and racist language.” The judge remarked that he was surprised she had still been conscious.
The victim then began filming Mrs Best, who according to the judge began playing up to the camera, opening her coat and her legs. The offence was aggravated by the fact that it was on public transport.
Mrs Best plead guilty to one count of causing alarm and distress. Her barrister made the case for the judge to consider her family situation as a single mother of four.
When the judge came to pass his sentence he mentioned this, along with the fact that Mrs Best was recovering from an alcohol problem and showed remorse for her actions.
Nonetheless, he said, hate crimes could not be overlooked. He sentenced Mrs Best to 120 hours unpaid work over 12 months, and £300 in compensation to be paid to the victim. The first instalment is to be paid after Christmas given Mrs Best’s family situation.
Finally, the judge mentioned that the public nature of the crime gave a degree of punishment, and that he had considered this when passing the sentence.
