A YEOVIL man who hurled racist abuse towards a police officer while being arrested and was then found with a quantity of cocaine has been fined by the courts.

Sam Burden shouted: “Shut up you gypsy-haired little rat” to the officer who was left upset by the remark as he has a family member from the travelling community.

When the defendant was searched the cocaine was found in his pocket, district Judge Angela Brereton was told.

Burden, 23, of Marl Close, appeared in the dock at Yeovil and admitted using racially aggravated abuse towards a police officer and possession of 1.5g of cocaine on March 24. He also admitted being in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for previous offences.

Prosecutor Ben Winzer said the defendant was arrested and then made the remark leaving the officer feeling “affected.”

“The officer said he had a family member from the travelling community and did not accept this term,” he said.

He added that since that incident Burden had appeared in court for offences of violence, criminal damage and possession of drugs and been sentenced to a community order.

Greg Peters, defending, said that Burden was doing well on his community order, previously imposed by the courts.

District Judge Brereton said: “Racial abuse is not going to be tolerated by the police and you were also on a conditional discharge at the time.”

She fined him £80 for the drugs offence and £80 for the racially aggravated offence along with a £72 victim surcharge and £40 costs. No action was taken on the breach of conditional discharge.