Woman who threw brick through takeaway window is sentenced

A woman who threw a brick through a takeaway window and shouted racial slurs towards the owner has been convicted.

Leah Lee threw the brick through the window of a pizza shop in Willington on August 5 this year before shouting racial slurs towards the terrified owner.

In a victim impact statement, he said: “I felt really scared due to this incident and I feared that I would have been hurt in some way.

“I feel scared to go to work in case this happens again or that it happens to any of my family.”

Officers arrested Lee and later charged her with racially aggravated criminal damage and violent disorder.

The 19-year-old, of Willington, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated criminal damage and not guilty to violent disorder, which was accepted by the prosecution.

She appeared at Teesside Crown Court today (November 8) where she received a nine-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years.

A Durham Constabulary spokesman said: “Hate crime in any form has no place in our society and we will not tolerate it.

“We want to send a clear message to anyone who commits these types of offences, that your actions have real consequences.

“If you are found to be committing hate crime or inciting violence towards our communities, you will be dealt with robustly.”