A 13-YEAR-OLD girl sobbed as she apologised for making racist remarks to an Asian woman while on a shopping trip in Ipswich with her mother.The girl admitted to causing harassment, alarm or distress using words that were racially aggravated at a hearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

A 13-YEAR-OLD girl sobbed as she apologised for making racist remarks to an Asian woman while on a shopping trip in Ipswich with her mother.

The girl admitted to causing harassment, alarm or distress using words that were racially aggravated at a hearing at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

The court heard how the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, used the offensive language towards a member of staff at Superdrug on April 17 after being accused of shoplifting.

Prosecutor Naomi Turner said two females and two males entered the shop at around 4.45pm.

She added: “They went straight for the cosmetics aisle where the two females were looking at the make up.

“After one to two minutes the store alarm went off. Another member of staff asked them to return to the store.

“The two females stayed outside the store where one put her hands into her pockets and appeared to place some items on the floor before entering the store.”

After a short argument, the girl left the store with her mother and two brothers. A member of staff later found some items outside on the floor.

The family were tracked on CCTV and apprehended by security staff at Debenhams, who brought them back to Superdrug, the court heard.

Mrs Turner said the defendant then became racially abusive to the victim and made further remarks to the police after she was arrested.

She said the youth argued to police that a negative word she had used against the Asian woman was not racist.

Mrs Turner added: “She said 'why are they here? Why do they let them into this country?' She fully admitted making the remarks to the lady.”

Mitigating, Mark Holt said: “It was suspected that the defendant had stolen from the shop, but it was not obvious why the alarms had gone off.

“She has just over-reacted to this. She says that the lady in question was staring at her and was possibly making comments. It was an emotional situation and she just lashed out.”

The girl's mother also claimed that security staff and police were making derogatory comments about her family.

Crying in court, the defendant said: “I'm sorry. I know not to be racist.”

The youth was given a three-month referral order and her mother was told to pay £25 compensation to the victim on her behalf.