A man has been jailed for racially abusing two men in Colchester High Street.

A court heard how Andrew Carey had been drinking at the time of the incident and he told police later he remembered little of what happened.

Carey also spat in the face of another policeman after he was arrested, Chelmsford Crown Court was told.

The 24-year-old was told by a judge behaviour like his cannot be tolerated and he had to be jailed.

Mark Lakin, prosecuting, said two men were in the High Street at around 4pm on July 18 when Carey approached them and started making racist comments in a threatening manner.

Police were called and when he was arrested and taken to the police station, Carey spat in the face of one officer.

Carey, from New Town Road, Colchester, admitted charges of racially aggravated threatening behaviour and assault when he appeared in court. He was jailed for a total of 18 months.

Lynne Shirley, mitigating, said Carey was a troubled and vulnerable young man who turns to drink when he has problems.

Carey had been assaulted by one of the men he abused, Miss Shirley said, and wanted to tell him to leave him alone.

"He accepts these were serious and unpleasant offences," Miss Shirley added.

Judge Charles Gratwicke told Carey: "People will not tolerate drunken, abusive and threatening behaviour on the streets.

"Society is fed up with people like you behaving in the way you did," the judge added.