A BARRY man who allegedly taunted a local Asian shopkeeper has walked free from court.

Michael Sparkes, 22, of Dyfan Street was cleared of bombarding Dyfan Road Stores owner Aqueel Nasser with racial abuse on the day of the September 11 bombings.

The shopkeeper told a Cardiff jury how regular customer Mr Sparkes, called him names after asking to use the shop's private telephone.

The crown court also heard that Sparkes racially threatened Mr Nasser on the day of the World Trade Centre attacks by threatening to "burn him alive."

Mr Nasser said: "He was really in my face. He isn't supposed to use the phone - it is for private use.

"He got angry, started swearing and said: "Can I use the phone?"

threatened to burn

"He then threatened me with being burned alive and, as it was especially on that day, September 11, it made me afraid.

"I wasn't terrified. I was more angry. When someone is threatening to burn you, it's hard to imagine how you would feel."

Sparkes denied racially aggravated harassment, claiming only to have gone into the store to use the phone.

The jury took less than one hour to decide Sparkes was not guilty of racially aggravated harassment, and he walked free from court.