A TAKEAWAY owner in Brighton Hill was headbutted after he confronted a man for racially abusing him, a court heard.

The incident occurred outside the Mirza Tandoori, Brighton Hill Centre, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke, on April 26, when Mirza Azaz Baeg was assaulted by Alan Dawkins, 20.

Dawkins, of Kings Road, South Ham, Basingstoke, appeared before Judge Robert Pryor, at Winchester Crown Court last Wednesday charged with racially aggravated common assault.

Dawkins, who pleaded guilty to the charge, also faced two other unrelated charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault while resisting arrest.

Barnaby Shaw, prosecuting, said: "Mr Baeg was at work just after 5.30pm in his Tandoori takeaway when the defendant came in and called him a 'Paki'.

"Mr Baeg went out of the shop and said 'Why did you call me a Paki - I am not a Paki'.

"The defendant went back to Mr Baeg and said 'Did I call you a Paki?' and headbutted him, hitting him on the nose, causing a nosebleed."

Mr Baeg, who originates from Bangladesh and has owned the takeaway for three years, suffered a one-centimetre cut over the bridge of his nose as a result of the attack.

John Upton, representing Dawkins, said his client unreservedly apologised to Mr Baeg.

"He hopes he will have the opportunity to be supervised and assisted when he is released, because he knows he's going to need some help to keep on the straight and narrow," said Mr Upton.

Judge Pryor said he took into consideration Dawkins' time in custody and Mr Upton's comments about his troubled childhood and his attempts to face up to his drug, alcohol and anger management problems.

He sentenced Dawkins to six months' custody for assaulting Mr Baeg, nine months for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and three months for assault while resisting arrest, which are to run concurrently.

He told Dawkins: "I hope you have learned from all this and put it behind you."

Speaking after the trial, Mr Baeg told The Gazette: "I am glad it's all over - it's been a bit of a worry.

"Just picking on innocent people, that's the worst thing - I didn't deserve to be hit."