A woman has spoken of her shock after she was mocked for her disability on her first ever night out.
Sheena Burlton, 24, from Billingborough, Lincolnshire was on a night out with her sisters and friends in nearby Sleaford on Saturday, April 27, when the abuse took place.
Sheena, who has had cerebral palsy-like symptoms since suffering a brain hemorrhage at the age of five, said she was mocked by a member of the public while waiting for food at the end of the night.
The deeply “upsetting” incident is exactly why Sheena hadn't gone out in the six years since she turned 18, she said.
Sheena’s group stopped off at a chicken shop having decided to go home after her sister had a drink spilled on her.
While Sheena was waiting for her food a male customer mocked her condition, although she was not aware of it at first because she could not see him due to her lack of peripheral vision.
“My sister went outside to have a cigarette and I was sat adjacent to the counter,” she said.
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“I saw my sister didn’t look very happy. She walked in and sat down. I don’t think she wanted me to be aware of what was happening.
“I heard a noise and I looked to the right and the guy at the counter was making jerking movements and moaning noises.”
She said it was “really upsetting” to see such a thing and when the man was confronted by her sister he denied he had been doing it.
“I started getting upset and started crying,” she said.
“I was so shocked that I was sick out on the pavement. I told him I’m a human being too and he just smirked at me.”
It was not the first time Sheena has been abused due to her disability.
“I used to use my wheelchair a lot but I don’t tend to use it a lot now,” she said.
“I’ve been called a spastic and a retard.”
Following the incident Sheena has received a lot of support from people offering to take her on her next night out.
“There’s been a lot of anger, but also a lot of support,” she said.
“There are more good people than bad people.
"I hope I’ll go on another night out, but it’s going to be a case of getting my confidence back first.”
Mehmet, a member of staff at the takeaway, said: "She's a very good lady. She sometimes comes into my shop.
"I didn't hear what happened because I was busy at that time but she looked very upset when I saw her."
