Top author opens up on abuse growing up in Glasgow

THE Glasgow winner of one of the world’s most prestigious prizes for writing has revealed the horrific homophobic abuse he received growing up in Sighthill.

Booker Prize winner Douglas Stuart, who impressed judges with his debut novel Shuggie Bain, shared the story with Past Imperfect podcast host Rachel Alice.

The award-winning author, who was born and raised in the north of the city, told how the bullying started from a young age.

He said: “I was in P2 at school and it was one of those wet afternoons. We were all playing in the classroom. We were having a great time, I don’t remember exactly what we were doing, but it’s possible I was playing with the girls when the boys were playing with the boys.

“I remember about six boys saying ‘Why are you like that? What’s wrong with you? You’re no right’.

“Really quickly at such such a young age, it turned into the ‘P’ word and the epithet we know that I don’t love to say. I was told that on the same day and then that just sticks.”

As he got older, the bullying towards Stuart intensified. One Saturday afternoon, the writer and fashion designer was set upon by a gang of 12.

He added: “They had just seen me coming down the road. We talk about it as gaydar between gay people but there is a sort of singular way you carry yourself that people see and they want to attack that.

“I was attacked very violently. It was an old Glaswegian housewife who was driving by and thought the boys were hitting a dog. She stopped her car and got out and chased these boys away.”

Stuart also professed his love of the city. He said: “I always feel an attachment to my roots. No matter where I am in the world, I always feel like that working-class boy from Glasgow.”

A MAN who threatened his neighbour with a wallpaper scraper has been jailed.

Mark Watson, of Linthaugh Terrace, Pollok, appeared from custody at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday.

The 26-year-old was sentenced after pleading guilty to two charges.

On May 31, 2020, Watson was shouting, swearing, and uttering threats of violence towards his neighbour, before brandishing a wallpaper scraper.

The procurator fiscal said: “At around 9pm, a neighbour was within his home address. He heard banging on his door. He went to the door and saw the accused present brandishing a wallpaper scraper.”

Watson was also charged with behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by kicking a door at Titwood Road in August 2018.

The sheriff told Watson: “I am going to impose a sentence for each of the complaints that will run concurrently with your current prison sentence. You will be ordered to carry out 60 days in prison for each. They will run concurrent with each other, and with the present sentence.”

A CYBER security partnership, with 10 founding organisations, has launched to tackle an increase in cyber security attacks.

Funded by the Scottish Government, CyberScotland will help both individuals and organisations to protect themselves against online threats.

The partnership’s first move was launching CyberScotland.com, which offers resources to the public, private, and third sectors, who are seeking information and support across a range of cyber security and resilience issues.

It also has information on skills development for anyone seeking to start a career in cyber security.

Partners in the group include Young Scot and Scottish Enterprise.