A Stretford man has pleaded guilty to racially abusing former BBC Radio 5 Live presenter Nihal Arthanayake outside an Altrincham pub.
Graham Groves, 60, of Sandy Lane, admitted causing racially aggravated harassment after directing racial slurs at Mr Arthanayake outside the Old Market Tavern on April 28, 2023.
The broadcaster, 55, had gone to the Market Street pub at around 10pm to collect his wife from a work night out. While waiting outside, he sat next to Groves and the two began talking. Groves asked whether he was a doctor - a question Mr Arthanayake suspected was racially motivated - before using a racial slur when pressed on why he'd asked.
Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Mr Arthanayake challenged Groves over his language, but Groves repeated the slur and used a further racial term, described in court as intended to provoke rather than directed at Mr Arthanayake personally.
Recorder Imran Shafi KC fined Groves £400, to be repaid at £20 a month, telling him: "To you they were just words, albeit said in a drunken state, but I hope you can reflect they were seriously offensive and distressing."
The judge added, according to the Manchester Evening News: "His feelings, or how he perceived what was said, have to be judged in the times we live in, where we have people trying to toxically divide our society."
In mitigation, Groves' defence said he is a full-time carer for his 31-year-old daughter and had no recollection of the incident. Character references described him as a decent person who had worked with people of all backgrounds. He offered his apology through his solicitor.
