A shopkeeper reacted angrily when a young mum came into his premises and complained that he had sold her 13 year old daughter an e-cigarette, a court has heard.

Blackburn Magistrates' Court was told how Majid Younis grabbed the woman by the throat and spat on her.

He then refused to let her leave his shop, the Premier Darwen Mini Market in Blackburn Road, Darwen, and subjected her to vile racist abuse.

He said he was going to get the boys over to sort out the "silly white b**ch" who was in his shop.

He said he was "the Taliban" and she was a "white b**ch" and asked where she lived because he was going to "smash her house up".

The court was shown CCTV footage in which Younis physically prevented the victim getting to the door before opening it and pulling down the metal shutters outside.

"At one point her 13 year old daughter saw her mum inside the shop on her hands and knees screaming for her to call the police," said James Hudson, prosecuting.

Majid Younis, 47, of Steiner Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to racially aggravated assault.

He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also ordered to pay the victim £300 compensation.

Passing sentence, District Judge Alex Boyd, said by her own admission the victim had not conducted herself as well as she should at the start of the incident.

"That is no excuse for your behaviour," said District Judge Boyd.

"You assaulted her, threatened her, strangled her, spat at her and detained her in your shop for an extended period.

"We have heard in the victim personal statement of the ongoing impact of your behaviour on the victim and her 13-year-old daughter.

"She was outside the store and was faced with her mum screaming for help from within."

District Judge Boyd said the offence clearly crossed the custodial threshold but, because there was the prospect of rehabilitation, and if he received an immediate prison sentence his family - for whom he was the breadwinner - would suffer, he was able to suspend the sentence.

Mr Hudson said the mother had been called to school after staff discovered her daughter in possession of an e-cigarette. She stopped at the shop, which her daughter had identified as the source of the e-cigarette, on the way home from school.

"She went into the shop to confront the defendant, the shop owner, and she accepts she was angry," said Mr Hudson.

"At some point she swiped a box of e-cigarettes off the counter. The defendant came out from behind the counter and began to assault and abuse her."

Mr Hudson said the woman was detained in the shop for about 20 minutes.

In her victim personal statement she said; "I can't believe that a mum trying to do right by her child has led to this.

"I have nightmares about being held in a shop. Emotional damage is long-lasting and people can't see where it hurts the most.

"I hope what I and my daughter have been through stops this man committing further offences," she added.

Graeme Parkinson, in mitigation, said while there was criticism of the way the aggrieved behaved at the beginning his client accepted his response was excessive.

"He strenuously denies the allegation that he has sold e-cigarettes to anyone who is under age," said Mr Parkinson.

He said Covid had left his client with massive debts and he was working hard to improve his situation.