A man racially abused his neighbours while putting bin bags out and then later threatened to burn down their house.
Harry Ferguson first hurled abuse at his British-Bangladeshi neighbours in Bond Street in Sandfields, Swansea, on November 10 last year when both had been putting out refuse bags for kerbside collection.
Complaining they had put their black bags too close to his he told Abul Hassan: "I will show them what black is. They are not black. They are Muslim c****."
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Swansea Crown Court was told Mr Hassan, who with his family had lived at the property for 20 years, then saw his father pull up in his car and went to help him with his shopping while Ferguson stood in his doorway staring at him.
Prosecutor Hannah Gordon told the court: "It looked as if [Ferguson] had the intention of causing an argument. Mr Hassan's father tried to make light of the situation and told the defendant his son was only trying to help him and to go back into his own house."
Ferguson then responded: "You are f***ing c***s" and when Mr Hassan senior and junior went into the house they "heard him say a comment that meant 'F*** your mother' in English". He was also heard to threaten to burn down their house.
Police were called and in response to a caution Ferguson was said to have commented: "They are going to get some s*** now."
He was released on police bail but on Christmas Eve when returning home by taxi Mr Hassan was again concerned he was going to be abused so recorded Ferguson when he called him a "black b*****d".
Hannah George said: "Mr Hassan found the language extremely offensive and was disappointed he has to put up with that.
"He feels like every time he leaves his house he is likely to experience racial abuse from the defendant. He says he should not have to feel like this – let alone in his own home. He feels the defendant hates him purely because of the colour of his skin and is anxious every time he leaves the house and does not know what abuse he is going to get. It affects the whole family and they have had to install CCTV."
The court was told Ferguson, 55, who had lived at his address for four years, has 34 convictions for 66 offences.
Mitigating, Stephen Thomas said: "There seems to be some background between the defendant and complainant in this matter but notwithstanding that background, perceived or not, there is no excuse for this kind of abuse.
"The best point of mitigation is he had remained out of trouble for some 12 years.or so. As a young man he was a prolific offender and his circumstances changed in 2008 when he moved to Swansea and changed his associates."
He added Ferguson had not been in employment since he was aged 35 after suffering an industrial accident which had left him with epilepsy and other health issues.
Ferguson admitted two counts of racially-aggravated disorder with the intention to cause harassment, alarm, or distress.
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Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees said: "Many people from different backgrounds live harmoniously side by side. It is a well-known area of Swansea for being a close-knit community whatever its constituent parts.
"You used vile and filthy language which has not place in a civilised society or in any society. You should be entirely ashamed of yourself but I am not sure you are having read the comments in your pre-sentence report where you try and worm yourself off the hook at every twist and turn.
"You are 55 years old and it beggars belief someone would behave in this way. I have thought long and hard about whether to send you to prison. I would gladly send you there and you should accept prison is where you should go and that is where you will go if you commit these offences again."
Judge Rees said he would "step back, just" from a imposing a custodial sentence due to the long time between his last court appearance and also the defendant's ill health.
Ferguson was sentenced to 13 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months.
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