Two brothers have avoided a jail sentence after sickening racist and threatening abuse was hurled at two fast-food workers as they walked down the street.
Following an all-day drinking session, Richard and Stewart Treagus became angry when Burger King staff told them only takeaway food was available at 2.45am.
The two men then refused to leave the Union Street branch and became aggressive with staff – with one brother telling a security guard he would be “waiting for him outside”.
When the two workers left work later that morning the two men followed them and made racist and offensive remarks.
Workers heard ‘monkey noises’ as they walked along street
Appearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Richard Treagus, 37, admitted calling one worker a “monkey” and a “Jamaican idiot”, while brother Stewart, 40, shouted offensive comments at the woman, who was disabled and walked with a stick, suggesting she was a “benefits fraudster”.
The two workers also heard monkey noises being made as they tried to make it to a city centre taxi rank, the court was told.
The incident, which took place in January 2020, was reported to police who took the brothers into custody.
Fiscal Depute Carol Gammie told the court the Treagus brothers became offensive to staff when they weren’t allowed to sit down to eat their Whopper meal.
She added that a “heated exchange” began when the men were informed it was takeaway only at that time of night.
Accused was ‘having nightmares’ he’d go to prison
Richard Teagus’ defence solicitor Stuart Beveridge said his client accepted that his conduct was “very offensive” and “extremely stupid drunken behaviour”.
He added that the 37-year-old had been concerned was “having nightmares that he could spend time in prison”.
Alex Burn, Stewart Teagus’s solicitor, said the two men had been drinking from 4pm.
He added: “Mr Teagus is not a big drinker. His part in all this is about making comments about the walking stick and the woman being a ‘benefits cheat’, but both parties pleaded guilty to the racial aggravations.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told the two men: “What makes this matter particularly serious is the racial aggravations and the disability prejudiced remarks that were made to these two witnesses – it makes this charge more severe.
“There is no place for that sort of behaviour in our society.”
She fined Richard Treagus, of Gordon Court, Fraserburgh, £540 and his brother £470.
