A MAN from Gwynedd inflicted “sickening and disgusting” racial abuse on a Kenyan national in front of her children in Caernarfon.

Michael Williams told Shakila Meli to “go back to where you came from” and caused her to have a panic attack.

Williams, 36, of Dolfor, Pwllheli, was jailed for two years and one month at Mold Crown Court today (October 22), having previously admitted racially aggravated harassment and breaching a sexual offences prevention order (SOPO).

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Prosecutor David Mainstone told the court that, on August 9, Ms Meli, who had been a victim of racial abuse previously, was by a bus stop when she waved to a friend who was in Williams’ company.

But Williams then behaved in a “hostile” manner towards Ms Meli, using racial slurs - when Ms Meli tried to challenge him about his language, he told her: “You don’t belong here”.

Williams then mocked Ms Meli following her telling him she was going to contact police, before running away.

One of her three children who were with her was left “very frightened” and “sobbing”, while Ms Meli herself suffered a panic attack with her “legs shaking”.

About three minutes later, Williams returned, his “arms spread wide and fists clenched”.

He questioned Ms Meli’s right to be in this country, despite her informing him she has legal status

Williams “taunted her repeatedly”, leaving Ms Meli feeling “utterly inferior and worn down emotionally”.

She “even began to think the defendant was right”, Mr Mainstone said.

Police arrived and Williams was arrested after trying to run away – he then claimed Ms Meli had, in fact, been racially abusing him.

This behaviour put him in breach of the SOPO he received in 2008, which prohibits him from harassing or intimidating any female.

In a statement, Ms Meli said had enjoyed a “nice day” with her children, and had felt “proud of herself” for going “out of her comfort zone” by taking a bus.

But, she said, this incident made her feel “horrible” and as if she “let her children down”, as well as making her question why she moved to the UK in the first place 10 years ago.

Defending Williams, who had 27 previous convictions for 46 offences, Elen Owen said his client told her: “I’m very sorry. I want to change.”

Ms Owen said Williams has “quite severe learning difficulties”, and that alcohol is often the “trigger” for his offending behaviour.

He had argued with his girlfriend and mother, who died shortly afterwards, and had “taken out his upset and anger on a wholly innocent woman and her children”, Ms Owen said.

Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry told Williams his behaviour “frankly shames North Wales”.

Judge Parry told him: “You targeted her purely because of her race. The language was atrocious, but more than that, demeaning. She was humiliated.”

A restraining order, prohibiting him from having any contact whatsoever with Ms Meli, was made for three years.