A racist thug who brandished a knife at a man and shouted the ‘n-word’ at him says he would never have carried out such an assault had he been sober.
Steven Smith brandished a knife at the man on Union Street on November 14 last year before pursuing him into a convenience store where he punched him in the face.
He also used the racist slur on multiple occasions during the assault.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how an argument had broken out between the two men on Union Street but when the victim saw Smith had a knife in his hand he fled into the nearby shop.
The 23-year old pursued the man into City News Convenience Store before punching him on the left side of his head while brandishing the knife in his hand.
‘Would never have done this sober’
Smith used the n-word on multiple occasions during the attack and even continued to use the racist term after he was taken into police custody.
Defence agent Caitlin Pirie said Smith had no recollection of the offences but has taken “full responsibility” for his actions, despite a social work report suggesting he had tried to “justify” his behaviour.
She said: “He assures me he was in no way trying to justify his behaviour – he was simply saying that had he been sober he wouldn’t have acted in this way.
“He does accept that drugs and alcohol had an influence on his behaviour.
“He has shown victim awareness and empathy.”
Not touched drugs or booze since
Miss Pirie added that Smith had struggled throughout his adult life with substance and alcohol abuse following a “difficult upbringing”.
She said he was struggling with the recent death of his grandmother at the time and that his grief had been compounded by his grandfather being diagnosed with an illness too.
“His grandmother’s funeral was just two days before,” she added. “He had no memory of the offence. When he woke up in police custody he had absolutely no recollection of why he was there or what he had done.”
She added that Smith hadn’t touched drugs or alcohol since that day.
He also admitted committing a racially aggravated offence.
Violent assault ‘certainly took place’
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Smith: “You have taken responsibility for a violent assault which was racially aggravated.
“You may not remember much about it but it certainly took place.”
She noted his record of previous violent offences and suggested to him that a community-based disposal could “reduce your likelihood of reoffending…which would be a relief to the court as it must be to yourself”.
Sheriff Hodge sentenced Smith, of Dennyduff Road, Fraserburgh, to a supervision order consisting of 100 hours of unpaid work and a six-month supervision order.
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