Race hate yob pays the price

Sheriff slams thug for vile tirade against Paisley shop workers

A yob hurled racist abuse at shop workers before shattering a window, a court has heard.

Patrick McHardy, 25, launched his shocking tirade at the Wellmeadow Express store in Paisley, calling staff ‘p**i b*****ds’ then booted the door window.

The thug admitted causing fear and alarm to the staff and kicking the door when he appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court last week.

The court heard how he targeted the shop in Paisley’s Wellmeadow Street on December 7 last year.

Fiscal depute Emma Jeffrey told the court: “The accused was observed entering the store. Staff had cause to speak to him and they the individual was escorted from the premises. He was told he was banned from the shop.

“At this point he became verbally abusive, he was shouting and swearing. He shouted ‘ you p** i b*****ds’ and ‘go back to Pakistan’.

“He then left but came back and told not to enter as he was banned. He did enter.

“When staff made to remove him he began acting aggressive and kicked a lower glass panel, causing it to shatter.

“He then made off.”

He was later traced with the help of CCTV which captured the incident. The damage to the window was £100.

His defence agent, Amy Spencer, told the court that her client has been troubled with drug and drink problems.

She said: “His offending does appear to be linked to his drug use. Drugs have plagued most of his adult life.”

Ms Spencer asked the court to consider placing him on a Drug Testing and Treatment Order, but this was rejected.

Sheriff Seith Ireland told him: “This is the type of offence that the courts take very seriously.

“People have the right to live their life without being subjected to abuse because of the colour of their skin, or where they come from, in this case the Indian subcontinent.

“It is not only upsetting for the victims, it is upsetting for the wider society as it damages community cohesion.”

He placed McHardy on a community payback order, which included 150 hours of unpaid work to be carried out in 12 months.

McHardy, of the Blue Triangle, Renfrew, will also be supervised by social workers and attend drug and alcohol counselling as directed.

He will return to court in August to assess how the order is progressing