AN ASIAN restaurant manager lost his temper and racially abused customers, a court was told yesterday.

Tahir Ullah, 54, of Cedar Road, Newport, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment.

At Cardiff crown court, prosecutor Ieuan Bennett alleged "his actions were motivated by racial overtones".

He said that on the night of December 16, 2006, two couples went out for the night in Newport including Deborah and Michael Follett.

They had a few drinks, he said, but not excessive amounts.

At about midnight they went to the Koh-I-Noor Restaurant, Chepstow Road, where Ullah was the manager.

Mr Bennett said: "The evening went very well but at one point a woman customer slipped and cut her head in the lavatory."

Mrs Follett went to help her and felt later that she was not being properly looked after by the restaurant staff.

She told her husband who spoke to Ullah and told him to record the incident in the accident book.

Ullah, it is alleged, was "rather dismissive" about the incident and wanted the injured person, Mrs Kay McCarthy, ushered out.

Mr Follett didn't think it was the right approach and the police and ambulance were called.

The couples, said Mr Bennett, decided to leave and they also decided they would not pay for their food.

A dispute then arose, said Mr Bennett, between the Follets and Ullah, and the front door was locked.

Ullah, it was claimed, lost his temper, waved his hands around and allegedly shouted raciallist language.

"The case is that if the prosecution witnesses are right Ullah is guilty of this offence," said Mr Bennett.

Mrs Follett became very upset and called the police who tried "to part the warring factions".

The police recorded details of the incident and decided to charge Ullah.

He was interviewed and explained there had been "a background" and he said he had made disparaging remarks but denied there was any racist language.

The case continues.