13 Mar 2013

Ruling overturned for 'fat Australian' comment

10:15 am on 13 March 2013

A British woman convicted of racism after calling her New Zealand neighbour a "fat Australian" has had her name cleared.

Petra Mills, 31, was convicted and fined in England last year after calling Chelsea O'Reilly a "stupid fat Australian" in a drunken rant on their street in Macclesfield, northwest England.

Ms O'Reilly was giving a statement to police after a domestic incident between Mills and her husband when Mills stormed over to her house and began screaming at her.

During the trial Ms O'Reilly said she was insulted by Mills' comment, AAP reports.

Mills told the court she had shouted at Ms O'Reilly but did not use the word Australian and it had nothing to do with racism.

Mills was fined £110 for racially aggravated public disorder and £200 for kicking a police officer during her arrest.

She was also ordered to pay £50 compensation and £500 court costs.

However, Chester Crown Court has overturned the decision, with a judge ruling that using the word "Australian" was not racist.

AAP is quoting Mills as telling the Manchester Evening News she still doesn't see what she said could ever be thought of as racist.