Man who racially abused cop is jailed

Aug 26 2010 West Lothian Courier

A MAN who racially abused a policeman has been fined.

Police had reason to arrest Gavin McKee at Club Earth in Livingston shortly after 2am on February 14 this year.

And as the 24-year-old was being put in the back of the police van he shouted racial abuse aimed at one of the officers.

Last week at Livingston Sheriff Court, McKee, whose address was given as Lady Place, Livingston pled guilty to acting in a racially aggravated manner.

At an earlier court appearance sentence was deferred for McKee to be of good behaviour.

His solicitor, Gerry Bann, told the court his client had stayed out of trouble since the incident.

“He had unwisely taken a lot of alcohol on top of medication and as a result was highly intoxicated at the time and recalls very little about it.

“He was agitated and made the remark which he very much regrets.

“It was very out of character for him.”

Fining him £165 for the offence Sheriff Douglas Kinloch said: “I am pleased to hear you have kept out of trouble since this incident. However, I do not think it is appropriate to admonish you on a charge of this nature.”