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 and comply with Probation Service requirements.

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 the two male victims.

A Wiltshire Police 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.”