A COFFEE shop manager must do 200 hours’ unpaid work after waging an online campaign against a headteacher.

Father-of-six Jullian Preston-Powers, who hit the headlines when he said he would not hire workshy British staff, wrote a threatening email to Shoreham College head Richard Taylor-West.

Preston-Powers, 53, who runs Intenso Espresso in Portland Road, Hove, threatened to publish unfounded allegations against the headteacher on the internet if he did not resign.

Mr Taylor-West said the threats caused him serious emotional distress and made him fear for his job.

Preston-Powers, whose wife owns the cafe, was convicted last year of sending a communication with intent to caused distress.

After an appeal, the original court decision was upheld.

The headteacher said: “I’m stunned by the accusation and angry.

“Mr Preston-Powers organised a campaign against me, ganging up to destroy my career.”

The email and threats had caused the headteacher severe stress at home and work, the court heard.

He feared for his future and thought life as he knew it would come to and end.

The lack of truth in the allegations made him fear for the huge social, emotional and long-term professional damage to his career.

“He will stop at nothing to destroy my reputation and the college,” Mr Taylor-West wrote.

Andrew Stephens, defending Preston-Powers, said his client had been diagnosed with autism.

“It was only when he was in the witness box he realised what he had done,” Mr Stephens said.

The appeal followed his conviction at Brighton Magistrates Court on September 10 last year.

A 12-month restraining order remains in place, barring Preston-Powers from contacting the headteacher for 12 months.

Judge Christine Henson told Lewes Crown Court on Monday that Preston-Powers had organised an orchestrated campaign against the head.

“Unsubstantiated allegations made against teachers can blight their careers and have emotional effects on them, their partners and family.

“His distress was evident and the stress and anxiety to him because of your actions is apparent,” she said.

Preston-Powers came to national attention when he turned down a job applicant saying “British people have a poor work ethic”.

He said the “very poorest type of employee is a British one, full stop”.

Job applicant Victoria Atkins, 22, was told in a series of messages: “It’s probably better you did not succeed in getting the job because you can never be late for or miss work at our business.

“Ever.

“We are British, but generally cannot ever manage to hire British due to poor work ethics.”

The Trades Union Congress condemned his attitude.

It said: “If he’s looking for the title of Britain’s worst boss, it sounds like he’s going about it the right way.

“It’s illegal to discriminate against job applicants based on their ethnicity.

“Britain’s workers have a very strong work ethic.

“They put in some of the longest hours in Europe and billions of pounds’

worth of unpaid overtime each year.”