Hove man sentenced for harassing foreign neighbour

A man from Hove has been sentenced for harassing a foreign neighbour, hurling abuse at her for being Polish – although she isn’t actually Polish.

Nicholas Cramp, also known as Nicky Cramp, of Seafield Road, Hove, denied racially aggravated harassment against Mariana Tudor, of Bridge Street, Newhaven.

Cramp, 39, a groundsman, was convicted by Hastings magistrates of harassing her on two dates in March when he lived in the same street.

Sussex Police said that he repeatedly knocked on her door and made offensive comments to her because of her nationality.

Sergeant Peter Allan, Sussex Police’s hate crime sergeant, said: “I am pleased the court convicted the defendant in this case.

“No one should be targeted in such a personal and public way because of who they are.

“The victim was targeted with some pretty horrible anti-Polish abuse. The victim is not Polish and that is a key message I would like to get over to people.

“You do not have to be gay to be subjected to homophobic abuse or Jewish to be subjected to anti-semitic abuse. It’s about the hate and not the make-up of the person targeted.”

Magistrates gave Cramp a 12-month community order, requiring him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work over the coming year.

He was served with a restraining order and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £600 and a victim surcharge of £85.

Sergeant Allan said: “This sentence sends out a clear signal that we will take a robust approach to those who target individuals based on their disability, gender identity, race, religion or sexual orientation.

“I hope this case will encourage other victims of hate to report such behaviour to the police.

“Hate crime can be reported to us by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency and online https://sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal for those who prefer to do so.”