A MAN who came to Wrexham to fit solar panels on a leisure centre for the local authority ended up hurling drunken, racist abuse at a doorman.

Allan Taylor, of Leam Lane Estate in Felling, Gateshead, appeared at Wrexham Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The 34-year-old admitted two offences of using racially aggravated threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, as well as one racially aggravated assault.

Prosecutor Rhian Jackson told the court that on October 26 last year, doorman Ricardo Morais was on duty at the Penny Black in Abbot Street.

Taylor approached him and began racially abusing him, "asking him if he belonged here and if he had a visa."

He told Mr Morais to "go back to his country" and was generally trying to goad him into a fight, the court heard.

The following night, at around 12.30am, Mr Morais was on duty at the club again.

He recognised the defendant when he approached with a group of friends.

Given the defendant's conduct the previous night, Mr Morais refused entry to the group.

Taylor responded with a tirade of foul and racist abuse and asked the victim to step away from the club to fight him.

The defendant slapped him to the cheek and then ran off into the city centre.

Taylor was spoken to by way of an interview following the offences.

Ms Jackson told the court: "He denied he was racist, saying he had a 'coloured man' tattooed on his arm."

The court heard Taylor had 13 previous convictions for 17 offences.

Elzbeth Kenny, defending, told the court: "This is a 34-year-old father of young children who doesn't hail from the Wrexham area.

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"He was working over in Wrexham as a solar panel fitter, working on a leisure centre for the local authority.

"He works extremely hard. Unfortunately, when he goes out he plays hard too.

"He drank to excess and was worse for wear - and he's embarrassed about the way he behaved.

"He does have a tattoo of a black man on his arm and explains ordinarily he doesn't believe he's racist."

Ms Kenny said regarding the assault, her client had "reacted in temper" when the victim's hand went up.

"The mischief that appears to be clear in his offending is alcohol," she said.

The Leader:

"When he goes out, he can't just have a few drinks.

"He binge drinks to excess and rarely can he recall what he's done the day after."

The Magistrates opted to adjourn the sentencing to July 16 in order for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.

Taylor was granted unconditional bail until that date.