A drunk man racially abused a Bulgarian chip shop worker in Carlisle city centre after he was refused free food.

At the city's Rickergate Magistrates' Court, Alan James Steel, 32, said he was so drunk that he now had no recollection of what he said to the worker at the Little Chippy in Botchergate on November 17 last year.

But he accepted he was guilty of using racially aggravated harassment, or threatening behaviour.

Peter Kelly, outlining the case, described how the chip shop worker had been serving food at around 7.30pm when the defendant walked in, and asked if he could give him free chips. The worker replied that his boss was not in the shop and so could not give away chips without permission.

Steel's response was a tirade of racial abuse, which began with the defendant demanding to know why a Bulgarian man was working in "his country".

The court heard that on the day of the offence, Steel had drunk four cans of lager, followed by eight pints of the same drink.

He insisted when questioned by police that he was not racist.

Magistrates fined Steel, of Beverley Rise, Carlisle, £230, with a £30 victim surcharge, and £85 costs. It was Steel's first ever appearance in court.