RACE RAP FURY OF KEBAB SHOP
Owner I don’t know why they got off with that
A takeaway owner who was attacked hours after the Paris terror atrocity has spoken of his anger after all seven accused were cleared of racism.
Mohammed Khalid feared for his life during the assault at his Caspian takeaway in Methil, Fife, which happened after jihadists murdered 130 people in the French capital in November 2015.
He was kicked and beaten to the ground and suffered a serious eye injury during eight minutes of violence, which was captured by CCTV cameras.
The grandfather claims his attackers chanted racial abuse, including “Isis go home”.
Yesterday, Mohammed said he is considering a formal complaint to the Crown Off ice after the accused had their not guilty pleas to behaving in a racially
aggravated manner accepted at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court.
The 54-year-old , who was left so traumatised that he hasn’t returned to the shop, said: “They’re trying to say there wasn’t enough evidence to show who was actually shouting. “My attackers would get a tougher sentence had they been convicted of a racist attack. I don’t know why they’ve got off with that.”
The violence erupted as a shop assistant went outside at about 1am to close up for the night. When Mohammed went to his aid, the attackers turned on him.
Thugs Robbie Smart, 18, Connor Crombie, 19, and Darren Macduff, 18, all of Kirkcaldy, will be sentenced next month af ter admitting their roles in the attack.
The four other accused had their not guilty pleas accepted to all charges.
The Crown Office said: “After reviewing the CCTV coverage, which had no audio recording capacity, and the available witness evidence, the prosecutor concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove racially aggravated conduct against any of the accused.”