Man in court for abusing Asian shopkeeper

The Daily Record reports on the trial of a man who racially abused and spat at a Pakistani shop attendant who refused to sell him wine because of his inebriated state.

The paper reports that Gary McLellan, 26 appeared before Paisley Sheriff Court this week to answer to charges of racially aggravated assault in connection with an incident at the Spar store on Paisley Road, Renfrew.

McLennan entered the shop, picked up a bottle of wine and took it to the shop counter where Tariq Mahmood Khan Kattar was attending shop.

Mr Kattar explained to Mr McLellan that he would not be able to process the purchase because McLellan was already intoxicated. Mr McLellan asked again to be sold the bottle of wine and Mr Kattar repeated that he was unable to comply because he believed McLellan to be drunk.

The court heard that McLellan “spat at the complainer and shouted ‘P***’.”

The court heard also that McLellan’s drink problem had contributed to his dropping out of his geology course at Aberdeen University with his defence team acknowledging that Mr McLellan had not “taken formal steps to address his drinking.”

Sheriff Vincent Canavan warned McLellan he could face a custodial sentence as a result.

He said: “I accept he has problems with alcohol and is, as you say, an intelligent young man.

“But I am faced with a racially aggravated assault.”

McLellan is due to reappear before Paisley Sheriff Court on April 5 for sentencing.