Payback for yob after racist rant at restaurant

Man lost the plot after booze binge

A boozed- up racist who hurled slurs in an Italian restaurant has been warned to behave or face jail.

Gary James Bonnar, 24, was hauled into the dock after kicking off at Trattoria Roma.

He admitted at Paisley Sheriff Court acting in a threatening or abusive manner by bawling a foul-mouthed rant.

Sheriff Craig Harris was told the lout had never been in trouble before and was so drunk he cannot remember what happened.

He said: “You are appearing in court as a first offender and I need to recognise that.

“The report I called for revealed that you have a number of difficulties in your life.

“Some structure through a community payback order may assist you in your life – particularly with alcohol.

“I think you should be making some financial payment back for your behaviour, which, quite frankly, was despicable and must have been very frightening for those working there.”

The court heard the yob has struggled with drink since he was just 13.

He had been drinking heavily before losing the plot at the restaurant in High Street, Johnstone, on July 17.

Jobless Bonnar pled guilty to uttering offensive remarks and making a violent threat and repeatedly kicking windows.

Defence lawyer Frankie Morgan insisted his client turned to alcohol at an early age to cope with a tough upbringing.

He said: “He had been drinking substantially on the day and this clouded his judgement.

“He stresses this behaviour is totally out of character for him.

“He has difficulty processing his feelings and, to use his words, has a million things going through his head at one time and he cannot cope.

“He’s not a racist and has not involved himself in any way with behaviour like this in the past. He does have very little recollection of it.”

Bonnar insisted he was keen to find work and pleaded for help with his mental health.

He has been told to carryout 60 hours of unpaid work in four months and been ordered to undertake alcohol counselling and pay £150 compensation.

Bonnar, of Braeside Crescent, Bargeddie, North Lanarkshire, has been placed under supervision for 12 months.