A CARLISLE man who admitted intimidating a witness has been jailed for eight months.

Callum Paul Decosta (22) of Liddle Close, Lowry Hill, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court on Tuesday, having admitted the charge at an earlier hearing in March. He also pleaded guilty to charges of racially aggravated harassment and using threatening behaviour.

The court heard that Decosta banged on the window of a takeaway belonging to the victim, and told him: "You can do that in your own country but not in mine," and "go back to your own country," during the initial incident.

Upon being arrested, the court heard he said: "I'm going to be racist if he keeps intimidating me." However, he also denied being a racist at the time.

The court then heard that Decosta returned to the scene of the crime after being released on bail, leading a gang.

They yelled at the witness and said: "Drop the charges or we will pick on you and give you a hard time," before threatening to break his jaw.

He told police at the time: "I was in the area but wouldn't do anything personally. I'm on bail, that would be stupid," and added that threatening people was "low."

An impact statement read out by prosecutor Matthew Conway revealed the victim had been suffering from anxiety since the incident, and that it had aggravated pre-existing health conditions including heart problems.

Defending, Paul Tweddle revealed that Decosta had recently become a father to a three-week old baby girl.

He said: "The news he was going to be a father had a positive and beneficial impact. It made him realise his mistakes, and made him want to me a good father and set a good example to his daughter.

"He does appear to be taking life far more seriously. He's aware that he can't continue behaving in this way."

Sentencing, Recorder Kieran Rankin said: "You attended the restaurant as part of a group and clearly intended to threaten the victim. You threatened to break his jaw.

"The victim's personal statement outlines the impact on him both at home and at work.

"In the circumstances of this case, custody will be immediate."

For the charge of racial harassment, Decosta was sentenced to four months in prison; for the charge of harassment on September, he was sentenced to a further four months concurrent, and for intimidating a witness he was sentenced to four months consecutive - a total of eight months.