Man who called cop 'filthy Arab' gets community work

File photo / NZ Herald

A man who called a police officer a "filthy Arab" and told him to go back to his own country has been sentenced to community work.

Wanganui man Shane White was charged with disorderly behaviour after an incident early on December 30 last year.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Rachel Willemsen told Whanganui District Court yesterday that White lit a bonfire on the front lawn of his house, which the Fire Service was called to put out.

White then went to a neighbour's house and verbally abused them and, when police arrived, abused them too.

White called one officer "a filthy Arab" and told him to "go back to your own country".

He then shouted "white power slogans and gave white power salutes" police said.

He ran at the officer as though he was going to tackle him, despite the officer backing away.

White was then pepper-sprayed.

Defence counsel Peter Brosnahan said White was intoxicated and angry about the Fire Service being called to put out his fire.

He also disputed his client was going to assault the officer.

"There was definitely never an intent to assault, he only walked toward him, behaving like a clown," he said.

Judge David Cameron convicted White and sentenced him to 80 hours' community work.