Bromley man fined for ordering banana for black man in pub

Louie Kincella was fined £600 and ordered to pay court costs and a victim surcharge

A man who sent a banana to a black customer in a Wetherspoon pub has been fined.

Mark D'arcy-Smith was drinking with a friend at The Richmal Crompton in Bromley, south-east London, when the fruit was delivered to his table.

Louie Kincella appeared at Bexley Magistrates' Court where he was found guilty of a racially aggravated offence under the Public Order Act.

The 20-year-old, from Mottingham, was fined £600.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £620 and a victim surcharge of £60 following the hearing on 8 September.

The piece of fruit was sent to Mr D'arcy-Smith's table in the Richmal Crompton pub

Kincella ordered the 30p banana using the pub chain's app - which allows customers to buy food and drink and have it delivered to a table - during a visit in November last year.

Mr D'arcy-Smith previously told the BBC he was left feeling "upset, shocked and scared" when it arrived and reported what had happened to the Met.

Kincella was subsequently arrested on 17 January and admitted to police that he had ordered the fruit.

However, he claimed it was done "for a joke" and he had intended it to go to his table.

Mark D'Arcy-Smith said he was left feeling "upset, shocked and scared" by what happened

Following the sentencing, Mr D'arcy-Smith said it "felt like a massive weight was lifted from my shoulders".

Det Insp Stuart Hart, head of the Safeguarding Team, said the case had "required a painstaking investigation".

"Hate crimes are a priority for the Met and we take all allegations very seriously," he said.

Wetherspoon's confirmed that Kincella has been been barred from the pub.

A spokesman added that the manager had previously met with Mr D'arcy-Smith "to apologise to him and the company does so once again now".