Drug-addled thief who plundered Leeds Iceland called police officer a 'terrorist' during racist tirade
A brazen thief who stole chocolate during three trips to an Iceland store in one day racially abused the officer who eventually arrested him, calling her a “terrorist”.
Drug addict Daniel Hooks launched into the “disgraceful tirade”, telling the officer she was a “different breed” and insulted her religious beliefs.
The 35-year-old, who has a lengthy criminal record, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court this week. He appeared via video link from HMP Leeds where he was being held on remand.
He twice entered the Hunslet Carr store on Dewsbury Road on November 18 last year, stealing chocolate. He dropped a Stanley knife at one point which was recovered by the staff.
A PCSO was at the store when Hooks entered a third time, and two police officers arrived to detain him. As they tried to put him in handcuffs he lunged with a headbutt towards one officer, but missed.
He then verbally abused the second officer, telling her to “go back to her own country”.
Hooks, of no fixed address, admitted three counts of theft, possession of a bladed article, assaut of an emergency worker and a racially-aggravated public order offence causing harassment, alarm or distress.
He has 22 previous convictions for 73 offences, many for theft but also includes possession of weapons, ABH and robbery.
Mitigating, Sean Smith said: “He has had a significant addiction to Class A drugs, it’s in the grip of those drugs that he commits these offences.”
Judge Tom Bayliss KC told him: “You have a very large number of convictions. You were stealing from Iceland in Leeds.
“The staff watched helplessly as you did that and you were armed with a Stanley knife.
“It was a disgraceful triade of racial abuse to a female police officer.”
He jailed him for 22 months.