AN ‘INTOXICATED’ man called an American woman a ‘Yankee b***h’ and told her he would ‘rip her eyelashes off’.

The victim had been in Tech World Mini Market in Whitehaven getting her phone fixed on December 16 at around 6pm when Emerson Allen, 25, and another male entered the store.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting at Workington Magistrates’ Court, said the two males were ‘intoxicated’.

Allen had suggested to the victim that she should come out with them. She laughed it off at first but then told them to ‘f*** off’.

Ms Fee said Allen had then hurled an insult at the woman and told her he would rip her eyelashes off. The shopkeeper told them to leave.

A letter was later posted through the victim’s parents’ house, apologising for the incident and signed by the defendant and the other male.

But the victim ‘didn’t believe it was sincere’ as it had been written on a scrap of paper and had spelling mistakes.

Allen was interviewed and admitted the offence. He said he had been drunk and was ashamed of himself.

A victim personal statement read to the court said: “Since the incident, I haven’t been out much. It’s made me anxious about going out on my own. I feel more of a recluse now. I would rather sit in the house.

“I feel like I have been targeted as I am an American. It makes me feel like I’m not welcome here.”

Allen, of Dale View, Lowca, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm or distress.

John Cooper, defending, said: “They go into the shop. They are both drunk. Talk about getting the phone fixed.

“Mr Allen asks if she wants to come out and made some comment about being stuck in here. She made a comment saying, ‘imagine being from here’.

“The comment he makes towards her is quite unpleasant – ‘Yankee b***h’. It was the only thing he had to say and the eyelashes which I understand were quite big.

“He was very drunk at the time.”

Allen was fined £1,024 and was ordered to pay £100 in compensation to the victim. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £410 victim surcharge.

Presiding magistrate, Charlotte Wood, remarked it had been an ‘expensive Mad Friday’ for the defendant.