Drunk man hurled racist abuse at PC

Keeon Roberts, 28, of Eskdale Avenue, aimed racial slurs at PC Isman Ali after being arrested in a Stobswell street on Tuesday.

Depute fiscal Isma Mukhtar told the court Roberts had been at Lidl in Stobswell and was challenged by a member of staff as he was leaving the store.

Police were contacted and the staff member followed him outside and asked him to return to the shop.

Ms Mukhtar said although he initially appeared to be co-operating and asked for a cigarette, he started to become aggressive after being told he couldn’t have one. When police officers attended 10 minutes later, she said, the accused was still outside in Dura Street.

He had “positioned his body in an aggressive manner, clenched his fists and was shouting and swearing at the officers. He appeared to be heavily intoxicated and, when arrested, he shouted, ‘you Indian and **** *******’ towards one of the police officers.”

Solicitor Anika Jethwa told the court that Roberts had a bad record and said alcohol was at the root of the problem.

She said he was in such a state of inebriation that he had been urinating against a wall and had not run away when he was told police were on their way. She said Roberts, who is of Afro-Caribbean origin, had himself been racially abused in the past.

Ms Jethwa asked Sheriff Alastair Brown to consider deferring sentence for reports to allow Roberts to address his alcohol problems.

Roberts admitted that on December 19, at Dura Street, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm, shouted and swore and brandished his fists.

He further admitted acting in a racially aggravated manner intended to cause alarm and distress to PC Isman Ali and uttered racially offensive remarks.

Roberts further admitted that on November 13, at Lidl in South Road, he stole a quantity of alcohol and food items.

Sheriff Brown told him that if he was suitable for an order with an alcohol treatment requirement he would give him a chance, but not on bail.

Sentence was deferred until January 17. Roberts was remanded in custody.

A DRUNK man racially abused a police officer after urinating against a wall and being aggressive to supermarket staff.

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The Lidl store.