Detective racially abused taxi driver, court told

Detective Inspector Gary Tomlinson, 47, was returning home from a night out in Derby when he allegedly insulted Mohammed Anwar, who accused him of failing to pay 90p of his fare.

Chesterfield Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Anwar recorded 90 seconds of the alleged tirade on his mobile phone, but the recording did not include any racial abuse.

Mr Anwar told the court: "My passenger gave me 25 in a 20 note and a 5 note and then he opened the door. As he was making his way out I reminded him that he owed another 90p.

He reacted very badly and he said that he gave me 40, but I said 'I'm sorry, its not 40, its 25 you gave me'. From there he used a racial word and was using bad language."

Tomlinson, of Hartshorne, Derbyshire, denies racially aggravated harassment and an alternative charge of using threatening words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.