Jailed for racism against Turkish shopkeeper

John Hand was jailed for two-and-a-half years

A Liverpool man who threatened a Turkish shopkeeper using racist language has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

John Hand, 31, picked up Hasan Zerener and turned him upside down after he barged into the shop in Liverpool’s Waterloo district.

A court heard he took his genitals out and put them on the country, saying “Look at my big c*** you Turkish b******”. Hand also bent over to show Mr Zerener is bottom and threatened to burn the shop down if he called the police.

He told police when he was arrested that he was “just messing around” and making affectionate references to Mr Zerener’s nationality.

But the judge, Recorder Richard Pratt, QC, said that Hand’s behaviour was “at the very least boorish and intimidating” even before he started making threats.

He added: “By the jury’s verdict you intended that he take those threats seriously.

“The picture is painted of a man living on a hard man’s reputation.”

He said shop keepers must be confident that they could seek the protection of the courts and police rather than by “thuggery at a price”.

Hand was jailed for a total of three years, including six months for breaching a suspended sentence.