The worlds gone bananas

The worlds gone bananas.

A MAN who sent a banana to a black customer in a Wetherspoons pub has been found guilty of a racially-motivated hate crime.

Customer Louie Kincella, 20, used the Wetherspoons app to send the banana to Mark D’arcy-Smith’s table at the Richmal Crompton in Bromley, south-east London.

Mr D’arcy-Smith, 25, was outraged when the 30p banana arrived on a plate with a receipt stating “dessert”, and told the server that neither he nor his friend ordered it.

The media and marketing executive felt “highly humiliated” and believed it was a racially-motivated act.

When Kincella was arrested at his home, he admitted to ordering the banana but claimed he did it “for a joke” and he did not intend for it to be sent to any table but his.

Last week, Kincella, was found guilty of a racially aggravated offence under the Public Order Act when he appeared at Bexley Magistrates’ Court.

He was slammed with a fine of £600 and ordered to pay costs of £620. He has also quite rightly been banned from the pub.

Mr D’arcy-Smith, from Bromley, was having a drink with a friend after work when the banana was sent to his table on November 8, 2019.

When he told the staff member that no-one at his table had ordered it, he was told that someone had placed an order via the pub’s app for a single banana for 30p and it was to be brought to the table he was sitting at.

Speaking after the incident last year, Mr D’Arcy-Smith said: “We both looked at each other then looked at the banana. It clicked that it wasn’t ours. It was clearly sent by someone who was trying to be racist.”

A police spokesperson said: “The victim explained he felt highly humiliated by the incident – which occurred around 10pm on the night – and that he firmly believed it was racially motivated.”

The incident was reported to police within days, and officers identified Kincella and arrested him at his home on January 17 this year.

The worlds gone bananas, it’s 2020, these things should not be happening.

A police spokesperson said: “While he did not deny being in the pub and admitted to ordering the banana, he insisted it was done ‘for a joke’ and he did not intend it to go anywhere other than his own table.”

Speaking after the case, Mr D’arcy-Smith said: “Hearing the verdict felt like a massive weight was lifted from my shoulders. I can’t thank DC Heywood and the Met enough for their support and guidance throughout.”

After Kincella was sentenced, Mr D’Arcy-Smith wrote on Facebook: “Update: I went to court a couple of days ago to see the conclusion of the Wetherspoons banana situation. The judge found the defendant guilty!

“He was fined £1200. Conclusion? Don’t be racist.”

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