A man who racially abused an Irish Catholic woman in the street has been warned by a judge he faces a jail sentence.

Stephen Callaghan, 24, of Framfield Close, Brighton, denied a charge of racially aggravated common assault on Maggie Colwell but he was convicted by a jury at a trial at Hove Crown Court.

He was remanded in custody until February 26 for sentence.

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall warned him: "This was a particularly nasty offence for which a custodial sentence is guaranteed."

The court heard how Miss Colwell, who lives in Hove, was left terrified after she was confronted by Callaghan and another man, who has never been traced, on Brighton seafront one evening in March last year.

She was pushing her bicycle along the promenade after shopping at Brighton Marina.

The trouble started when the two men blocked her path and she said: "Hello".

They began to shout racist comments about her nationality and faith. Her hat was snatched off and they tried to pull at her shopping bags.

She said they laughed at her as they shouted a barrage of abuse. She said they told her to "**** off back to Ireland".

The other man kicked her bottom and chased after her as she tried to cycle away.

She said: "They thought it was hilarious. I asked them why they hated me. They just laughed."

They finally left her alone after asking her if she was Catholic.

She said when she lied and said she was Protestant the other man shook her hand and they walked away.

She later picked out Callaghan from photo-graphs shown to her at the police station.

The court heard Callaghan, who did not give evidence at the trial, said it was a case of mistaken identity.