A WOMAN has been sent to a young offender institution after shouting racist abuse and slapping a man in two Hereford incidents.

Patricia Lewis appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing on November 3 after admitting using racially aggravated threatening and abusive behaviour with intent to cause harassment and distress and assaulting a person by beating when she appeared before magistrates in Hereford at a previous hearing in October.

Lewis also admitted breaching the terms of a 12-week suspended sentence imposed in February 2020.

The first incident had taken place on July 10, when police were called to the victim's street, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

The victim told officers that Lewis had been outside her home kicking her door and threatening to kick it in if the victim did not open it.

Lewis was asked to stop, but continued shouting about an alleged incident involving the victim's son, and racially abusing the victim.

"She found this offensive and distressing and there were people watching, which caused her distress and embarrassment," Mr Hambling said.

The second offence took place three days later, at around 4pm on July 13 when the first victim's son was walking towards Costa in Hereford's Old Market.

"He saw a group of girls and one shouted at him and accused him of doing something," Mr Hambling said.

"He keeps walking, but she slapped his face twice."

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George Cousins, for Lewis, said the 20-year-old suffers from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is undergoing testing for bipolar disorder.

Magistrates said the offence was serious due to her record of offending and as she was in breach of a suspended sentence and activated the suspended sentence order.

Lewis, who is of no fixed address, also received a six-week sentence for racially aggravated harassment and a four-week sentence for assault by beating, both to be served concurrently to the activated suspended sentence at a young offender institution. She was also handed a three-year restraining order and must pay a £128 victim surcharge.