A teenage soldier who racially abused an Asian hotel porter was sentenced to 12 weeks in a young offenders' institution.

Scots Guardsman James Jones, 19, from Glasgow, threatened to stab a porter at the seafront Brighton Hotel.

When he appeared at Brighton Magistrates' Court Jones admitted racially aggravated harassment.

He also admitted smashing up a seafront shelter, causing £150 of damage.

Libby Clarke, prosecuting, told the court Jones, who is stationed at Wellington Barracks, London, was on a visit to the city when he was seen punching, kicking and head-butting the shelter in Kings Road at about 4.45am on September 30.

He later walked across the road to the hotel and ignored the porter who told him there was no room and he could not enter.

Jones asked the porter if he was a muslim and when he replied he was, the soldier started to shout abuse and threaten him.

Jones said: "You are going to die. I am going to stab you."

Ms Clarke said the porter feared Jones had a knife and was scared because of the current international conflict in Afghanistan.

She said: "He was fearful for his safety, particularly so in view of recent events."

Laurence Lobo, defending, said Jones bitterly regretted his behaviour and apologised to the porter and to the police.

He said Jones was due to be discharged from the Army for other matters.