A man assaulted employees and used racial slurs during a wine robbery at a Co-op Slough.

Reading Crown Court heard today (June 7) that Scott Francis entered the store in Trelawney Avenue on February 13 this year.

The defendant - a 21-year-old from Colnbrook - attempted to steal two boxes of wine from the shop.

When an employee intervened, he was repeatedly punched.

Prosecuting barrister Erin McKee said that Francis then hurled racial abuse at staff, and assaulted them.

He was ultimately forced out of the Co-op, and the police were called.

Mrs McKee said: "As he was detained by [a police officer] ... the defendant lunged towards his head."

Officers were eventually able to restrain Francis, who used more slurs and ranted about immigration as he was being driven to the police station.

The defendant was interviewed the following day.

The prosecutor stated: "Mr Francis does not remember going into the Co-op that night."

However, when asked by police whether he had been to the store before, Francis admitted he "usually" stole from there.

He pleaded guilty to racially-aggravated common assault, inflicting grievous bodily harm, racially-aggravated wounding, assault on an emergency worker, using threatening or insulting words or behaviour, racially-aggravated harassment and two counts of assault by beating.

Francis appeared via live video link before the court for sentencing.

Defence barrister Gabriella Lewis said that the defendant had expressed remorse for his actions.

He has attributed his offending to his problems with drug and alcohol abuse, which he has sought to address while in prison.

Mrs Lewis told the court: "He [Francis] would like to apologise to the victims of these offences, the families of the victims, and anyone else who witnessed it.

"He is sorry, and, at the time, he was in a very difficult situation. He was living in a van, he was not getting on with his family, and he was really struggling."

Judge Sarah Campbell delayed sentencing in the case until next week.