Henry finds racist slur 'repulsive' and 'would never use it'

EastEnders actress Linda Henry has said she finds the word n***** "repulsive" and would never use the racist slur.

Henry, who plays Shirley Carter in the soap, told magistrates: "If I heard somebody else call somebody else that, I would be absolutely outraged and I would call the police immediately."

The actress is accused of racially abusing a community warden who fined her for dropping a cigarette on the ground.

Describing the incident, she said the warden "made a comment about she knows who I am and she will get me in the end."

She told the court most of the time she approached by members of the public it is "lovely" but said a small minority believe she is really liked the character she plays in the BBC1 soap.

Giving evidence at Bexley Magistrates Court, Henry added she lived in a multi-racial area of Peckham, south London, is married to a Greek man and has a "mixed-race daughter".

Henry denies using threatening or abusive words that were likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, and that the alleged offence was racially aggravated.