Racist thug avoids jail for shop staff assault
A man who faced charges of racial abuse and assault has dodged jail.
Luke James McCormack (22) was at Stirling Sheriff Court onWednesday for sentencing for the incident.
Falkirk man McCormack was charged with acting in a racially-aggravated maner by shouting, swearing and uttering racist remarks at an employee at Cultenhove Post Office, St Ninians on September 28 last year.
He was also charged with assaulting Muhammad Rehan Sajid by punching him on the face in Cultenhove Road.
Regarding the assault, Sheriff William Gilchrist said: “This charge is a serious one. There was no conceivable justification for your actions. It’s a concern that the complainers in the charges are of ethnic minority.”
He placed him under a community payback order that will see him complete a year of supervision, 70 hours of unpaid work in the community within six months and pay the victim of the assault £200 in compensation. Stirling MP Stephen Kerr is backing the ‘Long Live the Local campaign’
Its aim is to encourage Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond to propose favourable measures for pubs in Monday’s budget.
Campaigner are calling for a cut in the beer duty payable on every pint. Long Live the Local say £1 in every £3 spent in pubs is collected in tax, a figure which sees every pub pay out an average of £140,000 every year.
There are 100 pubs in Stirling, which sustain nearly 1500 jobs and contribute £17.1million to the treasury. Mr Kerr said he has also written to the Chancellor seeking a freeze on spirit duty to support the Scottish Whisky industry and support the many small gin distilleries across the Stirling area.
He added: “Across Stirling, the local pub is so often the hub of community life. Many of Stirling’s most recognisable and respected businesses are pubs, which have served their communities for decades.
“The Government must do something to change the trend of pub closures. That’s why I’m calling on the Chancellor to cut or freeze beer duty in this year’s budget.”