A mum-of-one has been fined after she punched a young man and hurled racist abuse at him following a 2am fallout in an Inverurie takeaway.
Suzanne Argo, 45, told the youth to “go back to where he came from” and called him a “black c***” after she felt he queue-jumped at Tikka Tandoori on December 12, 2021.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told that Argo hadn’t been out in a while and was taking advantage of the short window between coronavirus lockdowns to enjoy a meal and drinks with friends.
However, she had too much to drink and ended up punching the young man in the face at the West High Street takeaway.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin said Argo was at the front of the queue but unable to order her food because the takeaway was cash-only at the time.
“Due to this the complainer and his friends attempted to place their order, but the accused shouted that he was a ‘black c***’ and said ‘look at the state of you … go back to where you came from’,” she said.
“Immediately after this, she punched him with her right fist to his mouth which caused the complainer to suffer a burst lip.”
Police were flagged down and upon being cautioned and arrested Argo told them: “I was launched out of the shop. I didn’t hit anybody because that hand doesn’t work because of my stroke.”
She pled guilty to a charge of assault to injury.
Her defence agent Gregor Kelly said his client had suffered a stroke 15 years ago, which left her suffering from aphasia, a speech problem, and no use of her right hand.
“This was just before the Christmas lockdown and it’s against this background she had been encouraged to go out for a meal and some drinks with friends.”
He said Argo was at the front of the queue and trying to order chips but was “struggling to articulate” that order due to her medical condition.
They’d called her an ‘old tart’
The solicitor added: “The youngsters barged past her and when she tried to voice her displeasure they called her words to the effect of a ‘drunk old tart’.
“She accepts that she made some very inappropriate racially-motivated comments and as she was barged out the way she threw out a hand which caught the young boy and caused a bloody lip.”
He said the unemployed single mum was otherwise a “temperate character who does good in the community” as a volunteer.
Sheriff David Mackie fined Argo, of Don Crescent, Inverurie, £320.
He added: “I am sorry you find yourself in court with this case because you arrive with an unblemished record in way of offending of this nature.”
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