A MAN whose “vile offending” left a tourist feeling “humiliated and degraded” brought shame on York, a court heard.

Alexander James Webster left the woman afraid to return to the city, York Crown Court was told.

In 2019, Webster was jailed for permanently scarring a tourist when he threw a glass at a man when she was having a quiet drink in a city centre pub.

His latest in a long string of drink-fuelled offences was to racially abuse a woman walking back to her hotel with her partner.

At the time, Webster was on a suspended prison sentence for beating up a man and threatening to kill his wife after she had asked Webster’s girlfriend to move her dog because it was too close to the wife.

Both tourists afterwards spoke of their shock at what he had experienced in what they had thought of a “nice city”.

In a personal statement, the racially abused tourist said: “I used to love visiting York. I have not been back and I don’t want to come back.

“I feel humiliated and degraded. I was spat on and racially abused.”

Recorder Caroline Goodwin QC told Webster about the racial incident: “You behaved in an aggressive, verbally offensive and disgusting manner to a visitor to this city and you brought shame upon yourself and upon the city of York.”

Earlier she had said: “It was particularly vile offending.”

Webster, 27, of Langdale Avenue, Tang Hall, pleaded guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence, committed when he had been drinking on December 5, 2020.

Defence barrister Caroline Abraham said: “His offending is inextricably linked to his issues surrounding alcohol and misuse of it.”

He was a binge drinker and had mental health issues.

In the 19 months since the incident, Webster had been working with agencies including the probation service to rehabilitate himself and had made “significant progress”. He had not reoffended.

The judge banned Webster from drinking alcohol for 90 days and ordered him to wear a tag that will record it if he does.

“Not a drop of alcohol will pass your lips because if it does you will be in breach (of the order),” she told him.

The ban was part of an 18-month community order which also included 15 days’ rehabilitation activities. The suspended sentence remains in force until October.

Vincent Blake-Barnard, prosecuting, said the 2020 tourist and her partner passed the Spar shop on Bridge Street as they headed back towards their hotel late on December 5.

Webster and another man, who had a knife, came out of the shop and asked the woman for a light.

When the partner offered a light, Webster said: “I wasn’t talking to you” and the two men started following the couple and called them names.

In Micklegate close to a restaurant, the men suddenly demanded that the partner hand over his jacket and Webster struck out at him. Webster then racially abused the woman.

Ms Abraham said Webster was not addicted to alcohol but had difficulties with binge drinking.