A POWYS man has been jailed for racially abusing his local shopkeeper – who also happened to be his landlord.

Darren Hopwood hurled racial insults at Didar Singh, owner of Premier Stores in Llanwrtyd Wells, as well as his son Dillbahar, in separate incidents.

Llandrindod Wells Magistrates’ Court heard this week that Hopwood, 52, had been upset at Mr Singh over perceived issues with the flat above the shop that he was renting from him.

Hopwood, of no fixed abode, appeared at court on Wednesday, July 31, via videolink from prison, where he has been held on remand since the most recent incident.

Hopwood previously admitted racially aggravated intentional harassment against the Singhs. He’d also admitted two counts of criminal damage.

Prosecutor James Sprunks said the first offence occurred on October 22, 2023, when Hopwood damaged windscreen wipers on a vehicle belonging to Mr Singh.

“The victim viewed CCTV and the defendant was identified as the person who’d caused the damage,” said Mr Sprunks.

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Hopwood then racially abused Mr Singh on November 16. “The victim was opening the shop, when the defendant approached him,” said Mr Sprunks.

“He asked for money for a damaged carpet. He damaged it himself but wanted Mr Singh to pay half.

“Mr Singh phoned police and the call handler could hear racial insults. They included ‘You don’t belong in this country’ and ‘it’s not your country, it’s mine, get out’.

“One witness who was delivering milk to the shop heard him call the victim a ‘robbing black b*****d’.

“Police attended but the defendant ran away. He was located 10 minutes later hiding under a bridge. He was arrested and spat in the cage of the police vehicle.”

Mr Sprunks said Dillbahar Singh, Mr Singh’s son, was the victim on May 28. “It was 6pm and the defendant was seen loitering outside the shop,” he said.

“The victim went outside and the defendant began swearing at him and using racial insults.

“The victim recorded this on his phone. He was heard describing the victim as ‘a different colour, of poo poo’. He told him ‘I can sit here as long as I want because I’m from England, not Asia’.”

Geraint Parry, acting for Hopwood, said: “There is no justification for what has been said.

“He had complained several times about the standard of the flat. He asked for repairs, which he felt had fallen on deaf ears.

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“The boiler failed to work for more than a year. The drains were blocked for more than five years. He has had to use the sink in the bathroom to do the washing up.”

Mr Parry said Hopwood suffers with anxiety and depression.

“He has a severe problem with alcohol,” added Mr Parry.

“While in prison he has reflected on his behaviour. In a letter, he says he doesn’t recognise himself in the video and is disgusted with his behaviour.”

Magistrates told Hopwood there needed to be an uplift in his sentence due to the racial nature of the offences.

For each racially aggravated offence he was jailed for eight weeks – 16 weeks in total. Eight weeks for criminal damage will be served concurrently.

Magistrates, however, told Hopwood they would suspend the sentence for 18 months.

He will also undertake a community order, which includes 150 hours of unpaid work, 80 days of alcohol abstinence monitoring and 20 rehabilitation activity days.

A restraining order to protect his victims was granted, while Hopwood must also pay a £154 surcharge, £85 costs and £102.43 compensation to Mr Singh for the windscreen wipers.