A FOUL-MOUTHED racist who labelled a Bradford Job Centre worker in a hijab "the devil" has been jailed for 15 months.

Fadhil Misalati called another staff member a racially abusive name and spat at a third employee, Bradford Crown Court heard.

The homeless Libyan national, who was sleeping rough in the city centre, was told by Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC: "This type of behaviour will not be tolerated in Bradford. It is vile, it is abusive and it is corrosive."

Misalati, 31, pleaded guilty at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates' Court to two offences of using racially aggravated threatening, abusive or insulting words and behaviour and a charge of racially aggravated common assault at the Job Centre in Manningham Lane on March 6.

During the sentencing hearing at Bradford Crown Court, Misalati, a Libyan national who had been in the UK for 15 years, was assisted by an Arabic interpreter.

Prosecutor Louise Pryke said he became angry with a Job Centre customer care officer at 3.15pm when he was not allowed at take his coffee into an appointment.

He swore at the man and racially abused him.

Misalati then accused the female staff member he had arranged to see of stealing his money and passport.

He told the woman, who was wearing a hijab: "You wear all of this but you are the devil inside."

Misalati then went on to utter a stream of vile sexist and racist abuse.

The staff member was tearful, frightened and disgusted, Mrs Pryke said.

She told the police: "I felt humiliated as a woman and a Muslim."

The woman now had a member of the security staff close at hand when she saw male customers.

When Misalati was being escorted from the premises, he spat at a security officer and racially insulted him.

Misalati's barrister, Sophie Drake, conceded the offences were "awful and distressing".

He was angry that he was not allowed to take his coffee in for the appointment and became even crosser because he was kept waiting.

He had no previous convictions and was very remorseful.

"Unsurprisingly, he is now banned from the Job Centre, " Miss Drake said.

Judge Durham Hall noted that Misalati had sworn and been racially abusive to Job Centre staff and had spat at a security officer.

Jailing him, the judge said: "You were foully abusive to an Asian lady doing her job in difficult circumstances."