Bigot abused taxi man

A bigot racially abused a taxi driver in a row over a fare.

Martin Cummings, 24, aimed slurs at Awa Obesi after his mum admitted she could not afford to pay him.

The yob threatened the man after he arrived back from a party to find his mother arguing with him in the street.

He admitted breaching the peace by making racial remarks and menacing comments at Paisley Sheriff Court.

Sheriff Colin Pettigrew warned he will hammer those discriminating on the basis of ethnicity.

He said: “This may have been a dispute over alleged overcharging.

“But there are different ways to go about it.

“Clearly, you were worse for wear with drink. “But I cannot and will not tolerate it.”

Cummings lost the plot after arriving at Millford Drive, Linwood, and finding his family in the street on New Year’s Day.

Defence lawyer James Arrol blamed his client’s outburst on too much booze while celebrating the festivities.

He said: “He’s a first offender and alcohol had been consumed.

“He was given information from his mum that the taxi driver had overcharged.

“What riled Mr Cummings was it involved his mum and his younger brother and sister were there.”

Cummings, of Pearson Place, was fined £250.