A shoplifter with an "awful record" who racially abused a black security guard has had his sentence slashed.

Gerald Duffy, 60, of Stevens Road, Hollingdale, Brighton, was jailed for 12 months after pleading guilty to using abusive or threatening words and theft at Lewes Crown Court on August 1 this year.

Yesterday, Mr Justice Poole reduced Duffy's sentence to nine months saying that, while the abuse was "thoroughly unpleasant", it was "accepted he didn't hold racist views".

The court heard Duffy was spotted by the guard on CCTV stealing two bottles of wine from a supermarket in Hove on March 31 this year. He was caught after one of the bottles concealed in his coat fell to the floor as he was leaving.

When the guard apprehended him, Duffy called him a "black bastard". Two other security guards became involved in getting him to return to the shop.

The police were called and the abuse continued after they arrived.

Duffy told officers what he had said was between him and the security guard and that he didn't have a problem with anyone from an ethnic minority background, the judge said.

Mr Justice Poole, sitting with Sir Brian Smedley at an appeal court in London added: "This racial abuse was thoroughly unpleasant."

He said Duffy had thoroughly deserved a custodial sentence. But he concluded: "It is the judgement of this court that the sentence of 12 months was manifestly excessive."