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A man who admitted threatening to stab and kill a shop owner has been spared jail.

James Ray O’Brien had admitted a charge of racially aggravated fear or provocation against a Holyhead businessman at a hearing earlier this week and the judge had adjourned to consider the appropriate sentence.

The 25-year-old, of Maes yr Ysgol, Holyhead was seen on CCTV to make a “cutting gesture” on his neck aimed at businessman Ashfaq Ghani.

Judge Huw Rees, sitting at Caernarfon Crown Court , said he took a very serious view of the charge and commented small shopkeepers like Mr Ghani would be protected by the courts.

He handed O'Brien a 12-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered him to pay £500 compensation to Mr Ghani.

"Shopkeepers, like Mr Ghani, is entitled to go about his business without people like you displaying loutish behaviour.

"You vilified him in a vile, personal and racist way.

"You made threats to kill and after Mr Ghani made a 999 call (to police) you said you would slit his throat."

Noting O'Brien had a previous conviction of abusing Mr Ghani in 2014 the judge said he would have been in fear of him carrying out the threat.

O'Brien was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and attended two courses organised by the probation service.

A Restraining Order was made and O'Brien must not approach his victim for five years. In addition he must also pay £810 costs.

O’Brien had initially denied the charge towards Mr Ghani at his store in William Street, Holyhead in May last year.

A trial was due to have been held in July but his lawyers asked for the charge to be put again and he admitted the offence.

The court heard O’Brien had made a “cutting gesture” with his hand across his throat after turning up at about 11.30pm on May 13. Told to leave the premises he twice returned and repeated the abuse directed at Mr Ghani before he was arrested by police.

Dafydd Roberts, defending, said O’Brien had been drinking that evening and alcohol was at the root of his offending.

The lawyer said O’Brien had taken steps to turn his life around and was in employment and focused on providing for his baby son.