A man who had been drinking set fire to a woman’s hair and racially abused a passer-by, a court was told. David Lee Matthews, 23, of Windsor Road, Shaw Cross, Dewsbury, caused a disturbance outside Dewsbury Bus Station.
Matthews approached Charlotte Allison, who he knew, and singed her hair with a cigarette lighter. He then hurled racist abuse at an Asian man nearby, Kirklees magistrates were told. Miss Carole Lawford, prosecuting, told how Matthews approached Ms Allison near Heron Foods in South Street and began abusing her.
He then saw Mohammed Imran nearby and shouted racist abuse at him. He chanted the name of the English Defence League and yelled: “I am racist and proud of it.”
Ms Allison told him to go away but he continued to be threatening and said: “I am not a wife beater but I will smack you.” Miss Lawford said the next thing Ms Allison knew was that she heard a sizzling noise and realised her hair had been burned.
Matthews admitted assault and racially aggravated threatening behaviour on March 27 this year. The case was adjourned until May 4 for reports and Matthews was granted conditional bail.