A man who assaulted an elderly shopkeeper and hurled racist abuse was charged under the new hate crime act.
Michael Burns, 40, lashed out at his victim in Glasgow’s Carntyne on May 11, 2024.
Burns was “hostile” towards the man and made threats towards him.
He then put his head against the victim’s forehead before he called his grandson and another man “P**i b****s.”
Burns pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to an assault charge on the man under the hate crime and public order act.
The act is stated to be designed for offenders who have “a dislike or prejudice of age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity or variations in sex characteristics”.
Burns’ conviction under the act is one of the earliest to take place in Scotland’s criminal courts.
Burns, of the city’s Baillieston, also admitted a separate charge of behaving in a racially aggravated manner towards the three men.
The court heard the shopkeeper, his grandson and another man were unloading items into the convenience store.
Burns went inside the shop, became hostile towards the man and made threats towards him.
Burns then stated: “What are you going to do about it?”
Shouting was heard by the other men who then attended the shop.
Another man attempted to intervene to protect his grandfather and asked Burns to leave.
He refused and demanded that the grandson fight him.
The fiscal depute added: “He made numerous threats of violence and shouted numerous times ‘P**i b****s’.”
Burns initially left the shop but returned later when he repeated the racist remark.
A 999 call was made and officers traced Burns to arrest him.
Roberto Manini, defending, told the sentencing that his client had relapsed with an alcohol issue.
The lawyer added: “He is aware that people should be able to go abut their daily business without being subjected to this type of behaviour.”
Sheriff Paricia Pryce ordered Burns to pay the victim £500 in compensation.
The other two men will also receive £250 in compensation.
The sheriff said: “You know how serious this was, you also have a shocking criminal record.
“You can maintain full time employment and a normal life so it is a balancing act.
“On this occasion, I will impose a direct alternative to custody.”
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