A man has been jailed for hurling racist abuse at job centre staff who tried to help him.

Abrar Ahmed went to Crawley job centre to claim Job Seekers' Allowance in December.

Security staff were forced to step in after he became aggressive, a court heard.

Andrew Stephens, prosecuting, said they managed to calm Ahmed down at first.

They were forced to intervene again when he became aggressive a few minutes later.

Ahmed shouted at security man Robert Arum not to touch him.

Mr Stephens said: "Ahmed grabbed two biros and stood with them in both hands.

"Mr Arum felt threatened and feared for his own safety and that of staff and public in the job centre."

Ahmed then shouted: "You white people are poison. My blood is your safety."

He also made a comment to another member of staff about her racial origin.

He threatened to "find and kill" Mr Arum, the court heard.

Ahmed also struggled with police and swore at them when they arrived a few minutes later.

The abuse continued after he was taken to Crawley police station.

Mr Stephens said: "He shouted at officers 'The bald one looks like a pig, he has a face like swine'."

Ahmed, 34, admitted racially aggravated harassment when he appeared at Crawley Magistrates Court in December.

That put him in breach of a four month suspended prison sentence for flouting a restraining order for harassment in 2006.

Magistrates decided the offence was so serious they did not have enough powers to sentence him. Ahmed, of Warren Drive, Ifield, Crawley, has previous convictions for robbery, making threats and harassment.

Peter Knight, defending, said: "He accepts his behaviour was inappropriate.

"He over-reacted and is sorry for what he did and the effect it had on his victims and members of the public in the job centre at the time."

Recorder Ann Arnold jailed Ahmed for five months when he appeared for sentence at Hove Crown Court yesterday.