Man pleaded guilty to calling employee at Gants Hill Tesco a Paki

A CONVICTED fraudster who launched a racist attack on a supermarket worker is facing jail.

Scott Horne, 33, shoved Gopisangar Balasinghan and called him a “Paki” during a visit to Tesco Metro in Gants Hill.

Snaresbrook Crown Court heard yesterday that Horne of Gate House, Eastern Avenue, had attacked Mr Balasinghan less than two months after receiving a suspended prison sentence following a conviction for conspiracy to defraud.

Judge Martyin Zeidman QC warned Horne faced serving the four-month term on top of any sentence for lashing out at Mr Balasinghan.

”I have an open mind at the moment as to sentence,” the judge said.

“This must have been a very unpleasant incident from the point of view of the victim.

”It is a terrible thing to say a racist comment to someone, to call him a Paki and push him.”

Horne had denied the assault on Mr Balasinghan on June 16 last year and was due to stand trial but he later admitted the attack.

His barrister Ian Dowty read a prepared statement by Horne to the court in Hollybush Hill, Snaresbook which said he was “angry and in drink” at the time of the attack.

The court heard Horne was convicted of conspiracy to defraud on April 29 last year and his sentence was suspended for two years.

Judge Zeidman bailed Horne until February 2 and ordered prosecutors seek a statement from Mr Balasinghan and an impact statement from the victim.

The judge ordered Horne not to contact the victim and banned the defendant from entering any Tesco store in Redbridge.

Horne is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey next month.

Horne admitted racially aggravated assault by beating.