A MAN who harassed a gay couple has been banned from going out after 10pm and forced to do community service after his victims took a picture of his car and handed it to police.

Dean Orrow, of Kendall House, Collier Street, King’s Cross, accosted his victims at a kebab shop in Essex Road, Islington, on July 10 last year.

He and an accomplice started shouting homophobic abuse at the couple and followed them into Basire Street and towards the junction with Coleman Fields.

The victims recognised Orrow from similar incidents previously, but this time he followed them all the way home and gathered a large group of men who stood outside their house shouting insults.

The gang eventually left, but ten days later at 10.40pm on July 20 the couple were walking along Basire Street, when they again suffered abuse at the hands of Orrow and a group of men.

They ignored it and walked home, but later took a photo of Orrow’s number plate when they saw him sitting in his car.

They handed the picture to police and he was arrested on August 13.

Orrow pleaded guilty to Section 4 of the Public Order Act and was ordered to pay �100 to the victims and �100 court costs at Stratford Magistrates Court on February 24. He was also given a six-month community order, 12-month restraining order and put on an electronic tag for three months. On top of that he was hit with a curfew banning him from leaving the house between 10pm and 6am for three months.

Detective Constable Kevin Johansen, from Islington police, said: “Dean Orrow took it upon himself and cajoled his friends to harass a couple who were going about their business.

“Homophobic abuse is not acceptable in this day and age and we take this type of crime seriously, as does the criminal justice system which is reflected in his sentence.

“We actively encourage members of the community who experience this kind of behaviour or any other form of hate crime to get in contact with the police or other third party agencies for support.”