AN 18-year-old Corsham man who admitted two assaults has had a tougher sentence imposed because they were racially aggravated.

Ryan Steer, of Spring Tynings, Corsham, pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court on August 1 to two offences of assaulting two 16-year-old boys between March 21 and 24 in Corsham which were racially aggravated.

Because of the racial aggravation, the court uplifted his sentence from a community order to a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.

Steer must carry out 140 hours of supervised unpaid work within the next 12 months. He was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge to the court and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The court also imposed a 12-month restraining order lasting until July 31 next year and he is prohibited from having any contact directly or indirectly with his two teenage victims.

A Force spokesman said: “This gives a clear message to both the victims and public that Wiltshire Police will deal with all hate crimes seriously and robustly.”