Man wore blackface and sang mocking song to black colleague at Christmas party, court hears

A man dressed up as a “black-and-white minstrel” during a work Christmas party and sang in the face of a black colleague to mock her, a court has heard.

Brian Davies “blacked up” his face with make-up and donned a boater hat and white shirt to perform the “racist” song during a meal at a carvery in Cardiff, magistrates were told.

The 62-year-old, a maintenance worker for mental provider the Priory Group, allegedly singled out catering manager Loretta Dayley and directed the song, “Mammy”, at her.

Prosecutor Robert Reid said Mr Davies had depicted a character from The Black and White Minstrel Show, shown on British television in the 1960s and 1970s.

"The show was part of mainstream culture and entertainment,” he told the court. “But we have moved on and social attitudes have changed."

Magistrates heard Mr Davies had insisted Ms Dayley attend Coopers Carvery for the Christmas party for Priory Group employees on 19 December last year.

He told her he had bought her a "present" after she initially showed "reluctance" to go.

Mr Reid said: "The persistence he displayed on her attending shows that he was intent on focusing this particular prank on her.

"At the Christmas outing he retired briefly before returning, dressed as a black and white minstrel from a television show, and he sang a number of lines from that show, paying attention to Miss Dayley."

Footage of the incident was played in court showed Mr Davies, with his face blackened, swinging around a cane while singing at Ms Davies, who is initially seen laughing along with her colleagues.

But Mr Reid said the incident left Miss Dayley "distressed”. She has since been off work for "some time" and is receiving medication, he added.

Ms Dayley broke down in tears while telling the court over video link how she felt "humiliated" during the stunt.

She said: "Because everyone was laughing I started laughing too. But I was really embarrassed.

"Everyone was roaring with laughter and I just wanted the ground to swallow me up."

Ms Dayley said colleagues took photographs and filmed videos of Mr Davies, with some posing for selfies with him.

She said she recognised the song as "Mammy", sung by black and white minstrels, and knew it "was deemed a racist song".

Mr Davies was interviewed by police after Ms Dayley made a complaint. He told officers he had no intention of causing her any distress and denied his behaviour was abusive.

Mr Davies, from Caernarvon Garden, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, denies causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress and a second charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

The trial continues.

Additional reporting by agencies