A MARKET trader was ordered to serve three-months at a young offenders' institution after being found guilty of a racially aggravated attack on an Asian trader who worked across the road.

Barry John Masters, 18, of Roughaw Road, Skipton, admitted a racially aggravated common assault on market trader Sajid Rafiq.

He also pleaded guilty to a charge of intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress by using threatening, abusive or disorderly behaviour, also racially aggravated, towards Mr Rafiq's father, Mohammed Rafiq, and resisting off-duty inspector Timothy Done in the execution of his duties.

Prosecutor Caroline Midgley said Mohammed Rafiq was a stallholder who traded outside the Red Lion in Skipton High Street. Masters worked on a market stall across the street.

Mrs Midgley added that in April Masters approached Mr Rafiq senior and told him he was selling his jackets too cheaply and should put his prices up. Mr Rafiq said he felt intimidated but told Masters he would sell his jackets at whatever price he wanted.

Mrs Midgley said from that time on Masters used to shout abuse across the road.

Then on December 14 the defendant approached Mr Rafiq senior who was serving two ladies at his stall and shouted racial abuse at him.

Mr Rafiq senior told him to go away but Masters continued to swear. At this point the men were joined by 21-year-old Sajid Rafiq who tried to calm Masters down.

However, the defendant hit out at Mr Rafiq junior with a clenched fist and he fell to the ground. The defendant then hit him several times.

Insp Done, of West Yorkshire Police, who was shopping in the town, saw Mr Rafiq junior with blood running down his face, trying to fend off Masters. He said the Masters seemed "relentless" in his attack.

The inspector forced himself between the two men and shouted that he was a police officer.

Insp Done told Masters to calm down but the defendant swore at him. He went on to ask the officer if "he wanted some as well".

Eventually Masters was put in an arm lock on the floor.

Mrs Midgley added that a shopper, who witnessed the attack, was left upset and shaken.

In mitigation, defence solicitor Paul Fitzpatrick said the defendant started working on Skipton market when he was 12 and worked for various stallholders including Mr Rafiq.

He added that there was banter between the two men, but this somehow turned into a "drunken onslaught" on the day in question.

Mr Fitzpatrick argued the offensive nature of the defendant's language stemmed from the fact he was drunk. He added that a private detective had spoken to numerous stallholders on Skipton market including those from an Asian and Afro-Caribbean background, who said the defendant was not racist.

Mr Fitzpatrick added the defendant's grudge against Mr Rafiq senior was not because of his ethnic background.

Masters was sentenced to three months detention in the young offenders' institution for the racially aggravated common assault charge, three months detention for the intent to cause harassment charge to run concurrently and one month's detention for resisting the constable, also to run concurrently.