Man who claims to be picked on for being a dwarf pooed on council office floor

A man who claims he is abused because he is a dwarf has been warned by a judge he could be jailed after a dirty protest in a Hull council office. Ian Salter-Bromley, 54, exposed himself and spread excrement and urine in the main reception and toilets of Hull's Wilson Centre after he went in to complain, Hull Crown Court heard. Salter-Bromley, who is 4ft, outraged staff on two separate visits, pulling his arm back as if to punch a female receptionist and telling an Asian man: "You should go back to your own country." Salter-Bromley appeared at court for sentencing after being found guilty of being in contempt of a court injunction granted to city council staff to protect them from his repeated abuse.

He described the Alfred Gelder Street help centre staff as "useless f*ckers" before removing his trousers and fouling on the floor twice on July 29, leaving it for staff to clean. He claimed the council had not taken action to protect him from his neighbours and left kitchen worktops in his council flat 8in too high for him to reach. Salter-Bromley told the hearing he is the subject of abuse because of his dwarfism, including the theft of his wheelchair and walking sticks and being the target of schoolchildren who play "let's torment the dwarf" in the school holidays. Judge Jeremy Richardson QC said he accepted Salter-Bromley suffered a variety of social and medical problems, which had left him angry and in a cycle of unhappiness. "It is vital that you conduct yourself in a civilised fashion," the judge told him.



"Individuals who suffer similar medical problems, tragedies or disabilities usually conduct themselves with decorum, in a seemly, civilised way. As such, people are only too willing to help." The judge went on: "Mr Salter- Bromley has shown a disgusting lack of personal hygiene and his conduct has been disgraceful. I truly regret having to make these observations here. In many ways, I feel sorry for him. However, I cannot ignore his threatening, abusive and antisocial behaviour towards public servants. These are individuals who provide a valuable service to the community. They have been subjected to insults, they have been subjected to threats and all manner of unlawful behaviour. Hull City Council officials have done, in my judgment, their level best to meet the medical and social needs of Mr Salter-Bromley. No criticism is to be leveled at the local authority whatsoever." Judge Richardson said he appreciated Mr Salter-Bromley was now in a wheelchair because of a fall injury, but said he had demonstrated by his manner and demeanor in court he could be threatening.

He told Salter-Bromley: "You conduct yourself in an uncivilised way, which you seem to relish." Salter-Bromley said he had a miserable life because his council flat in Hull, had terrible neighbours and the specifications he needed for the height of the worktops had not been met. He said: "I have never lived there. I am officially the tenant, but everything is 8in too high. No one seems to be bothered. I have to crawl up two flights of stairs. What man in a wheelchair has to do that? My neighbours are drug addicts, alcoholics and young mothers. I have to put up with all their abuse. People make fun of me. You would not believe the abuse I get. Kids say in the holidays 'let's torment the dwarf'. If I say things, I get treated like a child – all because I look different. They drag me around and push me in the road. That seems to be acceptable, because the police don't want to know. My father made me stand up for myself. I am able to speak my mind. That's all I ever do. I don't physically harm anyone." Judge Richardson told Salter-Bromley he was giving him a 21-day suspended prison sentence for his breach of the injunction. He said: "Any more breaches and I will probably activate this prison sentence. Please, please, behave in a civilised way. Taking your trousers off and exposing your person before defecating and urinating, then abusing staff is uncivilised."