A welder directed a racist remark at a train passenger before launching into a tirade within her earshot, a court heard.
Stephen Larkin told Darlington Magistrates' Court he had been drinking all day and could not remember using racist language towards the woman, who had asked him to vacate her reserved seat when she boarded the train at Potters Bar.
Derek Walton, prosecuting, said Larkin, who was travelling from London King's Cross, had started making racist remarks as he got off the train at Darlington.
"At this point he turned to a female passenger and said, 'Are you a white n*****?', to which the female passenger made no reply, " Mr Walton told the court.
Larkin then repeated the same remark to the woman, who again ignored him, said Mr Walton.
Both the defendant and the woman then got on a train going to Saltburn, the court heard.
MrWalton said Larkin then initiated a conversation with a female conductor on the train and started making racist remarks, near to where the female passenger was sitting.
"He then said, 'This place is full of Indian bastards', " Mr Walton added.
The 56-year-old pleaded guilty to racial harassment, which happened last month.
Leanne Galbraith, mitigating, said although Larkin was unable to remember his actions, he fully accepted the accounts of the female passenger and the conductor.
She said an outburst of this type was completely out of character and he was extremely remorseful about his actions.
She said he had been down to London several times to close a business deal, which had fallen through. She said he had started drinking at King's Cross and had continued throughout the journey.
Chairwoman of the Bench Margaret Cunningham told Larkin: "It was in a public place and likely to make ladies very uncomfortable and other passengers, and children, uncomfortable."
Larkin, of West Dyke Road, Redcar, was fined £100, and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £15 costs.
The Northern Echo
