A Hatfield man has been jailed for 17 months after harassing a woman, despite his defence arguing he was being "flirtatious and humorous".

Darnell Baverstock,  of St Michael’s Gate, Peterborough, and formerly of Goldings, Hatfield, was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court on Tuesday (July 23).

The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to threatening, abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

He was also in breach of a suspended sentence and had admitted failing to surrender to bail, assault by beating, theft from a shop, possession of crack cocaine, possession of cannabis, two charges of assault of an emergency worker by beating, dangerous driving and offering to supply cannabis.

The court heard how on May 15, 2023, Baverstock followed his victim, a woman who was walking with a young child on a bike.

He asked for a number and offered to supply her cannabis, but she shouted "please don’t touch me" and "leave me alone" three times, to which he replied by mimicking the Ali G TV character and saying: "Is it because I am black?"

Alex Krikler, defending, admitted Baverstock was a "complete mess" at the time due to drug and alcohol usage, but also argued that he thought he was being "flirtatious and humorous".

"When he approached the woman he was drinking and probably thought he was being flirtatious and humorous," he said.

Baverstock said he wanted to apologise for what he had done, but Judge Caroline Wigin told him his offence was a "sustained incident that was aggravated because a child was present".