Man on assault and racial abuse charges

A man has appeared in court over claims he battered his girlfriend in a Renfrew shop.

Dean Harrison is said to have set about Morgan McBrien within the DayToday store, in Paisley Road, on Friday.

Harrison, of Storie Street, Paisley, is also said to have assaulted Miss McBrien at a flat in Paisley Road.

Prosecutors claim he pushed her, grabbed and pulled her by the clothes, scratched her on the face, hit her on the head and body and repeatedly bit her on the body, leaving her injured.

Harrison, 27, is also said to have been armed with an offensive weapon while in the shop, in the form of a bottle, and behaved in a threatening or abusive way towards her by shouting, swearing and acting aggressively towards her.

He is also said to have acted in a racially aggravated way that was intended to cause alarm and distress towards Muhammad Ashgar and Balwinder Singh by shouting, swearing and hurling racial abuse.

Harrison made no plea to the charges when he appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court.

He was represented by defence solicitor Amy Spencer during the private hearing and was remanded in custody by Sheriff Frances McCartney.

The case against him was continued for prosecutors to investigate further.

Harrison is expected to make a second court appearance in connection with the case next week, although no future hearings have been set.