A WOMAN faces jail after racially abusing a mother-of-three in front of dozens of shocked shoppers outside Churchill Square Shopping Centre.

Jane Gordon, 50, told a black woman to “f**k off to where she came from” in a vile tirade, after her victim tried to step in when Gordon was shouting at a boy.

Jobless Gordon pleaded guilty at Brighton Magistrates' Court yesterday to spewing the racist abuse and mistreating the child.

The court head the fracas started after Gordon, who was drunk after drinking in The Prince of Wales pub metres from Churchill Square Shopping Centre, started tearing into the boy on Friday October 27 last year.

Prosecutor Roger Booth told the court: "It was around 3.20pm and Gordon was outside the pub, and she was evidently drunk.

"The victim, Mari Quashie, after going to buy water, saw that her eight-year-old son sitting on a bench outside the pub was upset.

"She then noticed a young boy hanging around a bench nearby and the defendant shouting and swearing at him, over and over again as the boy had his head down and hands over ears.

"Ms Quashie asked if she would mind toning it down because she could see what was going on and because her son was sitting next to it.

"Gordon then launched into a tirade saying 'f**k off back where you came from'."

Even when police community support officers (PCSO) turned up Gordon continued her rant saying "blacks should go back to their own country you m***s", before trying to pick up a chair at one point and pushing past PCSO Darren Farrant who ended up scratching his arm.

The woman who reeked off alcohol was arrested and taken to the police station.

The court heard over 70 members of the public witnessed the fracas.

Defending, Samantha Greenwood, said Gordon has longstanding mental health issues and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after an abusive relationship, in which she was stabbed.

Gordon, of Havant, Hampshire, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated alarm and distress and and a charge relating to the mistreatment of a child.

Charges of assaulting a PCSO were dismissed.

Speaking to The Argus, Mari Quashie said she was shocked by the lady's treatment of the boy but felt compelled to help him.

The mother-of-three, who lives near St Ann’s Well Gardens, Hove, said: “It was shocking to be subjected to that kind of vitriol, but more than anything I was concerned about the boy. 
“I’m glad she has recognised it is unacceptable to talk to people like that and she was mistreating the boy.
“I wanted her to understand verbal abuse is just as bad as physical abuse.
“I hope she is remorseful, and other people who think they can go around using racist language know it is not acceptable and you can be prosecuted for it.”

She added: “It really shook me up that it happened in Brighton and Hove, but it made a lot of sense when they said she wasn’t from here.” 

Chair of magistrates Nigel Peacock adjourned the sentencing to next month and warned Gordon could face a custodial sentence.