A MAN who racially abused a former marine and burgled a city centre shop whilst on crutches has shown “no compelling argument” he will change his ways, a judge has said.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard how Lyndon Hughes was on a train to London on a weekday morning last March when he told a fellow passenger, David Xiberras, to “go back to your own country” before saying “I will come over there and kill you with one hand”.

In response, Mr Xiberras told Hughes how he had been a public servant, worked for the Royal Marine Reserves and had served this country.

Mr Xiberras said in a victim impact statement: “I was concerned I would have to act to preserve my own safety and the safety of my wife.”

Gazette: Passenger - Hughes racially abused a train passenger over a half hour period during a journey from Wycombe to LondonPassenger - Hughes racially abused a train passenger over a half hour period during a journey from Wycombe to London (Image: Pexels)

During a separate incident in October last year, Hughes then racially abused an antisocial behaviour officer, Mohammed Hamza, at Birmingham New Street Station.

Mr Hamza had asked Hughes, 42, to leave the station after the defendant was found lying on the floor at about 7am in the morning.

As Hughes was escorted from the station, he asked Mr Hamza “do you think you’re hard?” before calling him a racial slur.

Mr Hamza said in a victim impact statement: “I was born in the UK and I call this country my home, so I shouldn’t have been made to feel out of place in the country I grew up in.”

The final offence presented before magistrates concerned the burglary of Vineyard Repairs, which Hughes entered on crutches with a co-defendant in January.

When the owner opened the phone shop in Osborne Street two days later, he found phone screens, battery packs, and vapes worth a combined total of £4,000 had been stolen.

Hughes, of Walnut Tree Way, Colchester, admitted two charges of causing racially aggravated fear and one charge of burglary.

Gazette: Jailed - magistrates ordered Lyndon Hughes to a 36-week prison termJailed - magistrates ordered Lyndon Hughes to a 36-week prison term (Image: Daniel Rees, Newsquest)

Chair of the bench Mark Paget sentenced Hughes to 36 weeks in jail at HMP Chelmsford.

He said Hughes’s attack on Xiberras was “sustained” and allowed him “no opportunity for release” because he was on a train carriage.

He added there was “no compelling argument” Hughes would change his behaviour or comply with court orders.

Hughes will now serve 36 weeks in jail.