Youths could be locked up over takeaway ‘fracas’

Three youths who attacked a Muslim takeaway owner hours after the IS attacks on Paris are facing detention.

Robbie Smart, 18, Connor Crombie, 19, and Darren Macduff, 18, all of Kirkcaldy, admitted their roles in a “fracas” outside the Caspian takeaway in Methil just 24 hours after the 2015 atrocities.

The trio, along with four other men, had been accused of “shouting racially offensive comments” towards Caspian owner Mohammed Khalid during the incident.

However, all seven had their not guilty pleas to behaving in a racially aggravated manner accepted after the Crown deemed there was “not a sufficiency” of evidence to allow them to proceed to trial on that charge.

Speaking at the time, Mr Khalid said some of the men who had attacked him were “shouting about Isis”, but he added: “Paris was not done in our name, everyone here knows that and understands that.”

CCTV footage shown to Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court showed a large-scale disturbance outside the shop, which kicked off when worker Mohammed Nadeem, 35, tried to pull down the shutters at closing time.

More than a dozen men appear to be involved in the incident, one of whom kicks Mr Khalid full force in the face, causing serious injury.

Sheriff James Williamson deferred sentence until next month for social work background reports.