Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER Published: 15 August 2008
Paul McHugh
Man is jailed for abuse at bookies
A MAN has been banned from all Islington bookies for two years after racially abusing a member of staff at William Hill betting shop in Stroud Green Road. Paul McHugh, 46, who lives in Tollington Park, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated common assault and was sentenced to nine weeks in prison at Highbury Magistrates Court.
He breached an existing community order barring him from entering Stroud Green Road in Finsbury Park and was served a further anti-social behaviour order to prevent him from being in possession of an open container of alcohol in a public place and entering any betting shop in the borough of Islington.
McHugh has previous convictions for being in possession of an offensive weapon, possessing a dangerous dog, being drunk and disorderly and other public order offences.
He was also charged with two separate offences when he appeared in court on Monday – being drunk and disorderly at the Stroud Green Road betting shop in April and, in May, shouting racial abuse at a male member of staff and punching him in the back.
PC Graham Burke, from Islington Police Anti-Social Behaviour Team, said: “McHugh’s continual drunken behaviour has been a major nuisance. Once McHugh is released from prison, conditions of the Asbo will prevent him returning to Stroud Green Road and disrupting local residents and businesses.”