A Penryn man has admitted racially abusing a young child, and the child's mother and partner, on the Prince of Wales Pier in Falmouth.

William James Henry Miller, of Saracen Way, Penryn, admitted using racially aggravated language towards the child's mother and her partner, a black African, saying among other things: “I am white right the way through.”

Questioned by the police he said he could give no reasonable explanation for his behaviour, saying: “It just came out.”

The seven year old child who was the subject of racially aggravated abuse from a 77-year-old man on the Prince of Wales Pier at Falmouth was fortunately too young to know anything about it, the man's solicitor Terry Eastwood told District Judge Kevin Gray.

At Truro Magistrates' Court he pleaded guilty to using threatening abusive or insulting words and behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress, which was racially aggravated, to Laura Cocks.

Miss Cocks, said Alison May, for the CPS, had been shocked and upset that the abuse was particularly directed to her child.

Miller, who had no previous convictions, was fined £150 with £80 costs and surcharge.

Mr Eastwood said Miller had been a ship's carpenter in the Merchant Navy for most of his life, was a single man, and now very much a loner.

He had said his behaviour had been totally out of character and could give no explanation for his outburst.