Neighbour fined for Irish racism

A Flintshire man has been fined for racially aggravated criminal damage against his Irish neighbours.

Peter Parry from Connah's Quay admitted criminal damage but denied the more serious charge of being racist.

At Flintshire magistrates court on Wednesday the 34-year-old was fined £250 with £100 costs.

However, he is considering an appeal against his conviction and said the politically correct world had gone mad.

My grandparents on both sides were Irish and I have nothing at all against the Irish. The world's gone mad Peter Parry

The father-of-three is furious that he has been convicted of being racist towards Irish people.

Magistrates heard that in January, Parry hurled red nail varnish at his neighbours door and pulled up two pine trees in a dispute over some trainers that disappeared.

'Politically correct world'

He said the fact that they were Irish had nothing to do with the situation and it would have made no difference whether they were green martians or coloured sky blue pink.

"I feel quite aggrieved actually," said Parry.

"My grandparents on both sides were Irish and I have nothing at all against the Irish. The world's gone mad.

"I said something in my own front room to a police officer. If they were fat I could have called them fat.

"I was angry towards them because of the neighbour dispute, not because of who they are or where they come from," he added.

Parry made comment about the family being Irish and mentioned the IRA.

However, he claims he said it to "say something horrible" and not "because they are Irish".

His defence solicitor Brian Cross said the case was a sign of the politically correct world.

However, court clerk Stephen Roberts told magistrates that a recent case stated that racism was evil and it should not be allowed to flourish.