Teen assaulted shop worker

Mar 4 2010 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A TEENAGER who assaulted and racially abused a Chinese takeway worker has been hit with a £200 fine.

Ian Swift shouted racial abuse at a man working in the Canton City takeaway on Main Street, Stoneyburn, on April 3 last year.

At Livingston Sheriff Court, it was heard that the 17-year-old had consumed an “excessive” amount of alcohol on the day of the incident as he had been out celebrating his birthday.

Swift had been standing outside the Chinese takeaway with another youth when he was asked to move away from the shop front but swore and abused the victim again.

The teenager then followed the man back into the shop and punched him in the face. The victim’s wife, who witnessed the attack, called the police as Swift calmly walked out the shop.

Officers later picked the teenager up in Stoneyburn and he was taken to Livingston Police Station but couldn’t be charged because he was too drunk. His victim was taken to St John’s Hospital, where he was given treatment to reduced swelling in his nose.

Last week at Livingston Sheriff Court, Swift, whose address was given as Burnlea Drive, Bathgate, pled guilty to acting in a racially aggravated manner and assault.

His solicitor, Neil Robertson, told the court his client had initially been a peacemaker in an incident involving another youth and the victim.

Mr Robertson added: “My client tried to stop the argument developing between the youth and the complainer in this case. The youth had kicked a ball off the restaurant window and the complainer had come out to remonstrate.

“My client became involved to stop the argument as the youth was acting in an aggressive manner. Because of the alcohol he had consumed, he then acted in the manner which has been described in court.

“He accepts that his reaction was completely over the top. He had consumed an excessive amount of alcohol due to being our celebrating his 17th birthday.

“He appears as a first offender and this is a young man who has genuinely acted out of character. Hopefully, this has been a lesson to him that excessive alcohol and explosive situations like this are the kind he should avoid in the future.

“It occurred against a very specific background and he is of the view that nothing like this will happen again.”

Admonishing Swift for the racial abuse and fining the teenager £200 for the assault Sheriff Douglas Kinloch said: “I don’t know the precise circumstances of the charge your co-accused faces or his background, so is so it is difficult for me to have too much regard to their case.

“But, in your case, you have no previous convictions and you have got quite a good social enquiry report.”