A man flagged down police officers on the street and demanded they view a picture of his diarrhoea after he left an Indian restaurant without paying.
Jonathon Holmes had ordered £28.45 of food and drink at the Spice Tandoori in Fort William and told staff that he was enjoying his meal.
But after a protracted visit to the acclaimed restaurant’s toilets, Holmes falsely claimed the meal had made him unwell and refused to pay.
There is no evidence that food at the popular restaurant – which reached the finals of the Scottish Curry Awards in 2020 – had actually made Holmes sick.
Holmes, 47, appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit charges of obtaining food and drink without paying and intending not to pay and racially aggravated harassment in relation to the incident on April 30 last year.
Remained in toilet ‘for some time’
Fiscal depute Emma McEwan told the court that Holmes had entered the Spice Tandoori on Fort William’s High Street at around 9.45pm and requested a table for one.
He was served his food and drink and a member of staff asked if he was enjoying it – to which Holmes said he was.
However, after finishing his meal, Holmes went to the bathroom and remained there “for some time”.
“The accused came out saying the food had given him diarrhoea and he was not paying,” Ms McEwan said.
She explained that police officers were on patrol in the area when they were “flagged down by the accused who demanded they view a photo of his diarrhoea”.
He was heard to say: “I’m not paying for nothing you Indian b******”
Racist abuse
Holmes also admitted two charges of threatening or abusive behaviour, one of which was racially aggravated, in relation to other incidents in the west highland town.
Ms McEwan said on February 12 Holmes had attempted to return items to the Nevisport shop on Fort William’s High Street, but staff had refused to process the return due to the condition of the items.
That prompted Holmes to unleash a stream of foul-mouthed abuse, the court heard.
“The witness felt the accused was going to jump over the counter,” Ms McEwan added.
Later that day police spotted Holmes emerging from The Crofter Bar in Fort William pursued by a member of staff, who was demanding to know what he had said.
Holmes responded: “It is not f***ing over, you are a kaffir.”
‘His behaviour was not appropriate’
As he was arrested he stated: “I f***ing hate South Africans.”
Holmes’ solicitor Mike Chapman also entered guilty pleas to charges of possessing cannabis and failing to appear at an earlier court hearing.
Mr Chapman said his client had been self-medicating with cannabis at the time of the incidents after he had stopped taking antidepressants on his doctor’s advice.
He said: “It was against that background that these offences were committed.”
In reference to the incident at the restaurant, Mr Chapman said: “His position is that, although the meal had appeared to be of good quality when he consumed it, it did make him ill and he did not pay for it.”
The solicitor confirmed his client had refrained from drug use since May or June of last year and was now working as a self-employed driver in Norfolk.
In reference to the racially aggravated incident, he said: “He accepts that his behaviour was not appropriate.”
Mr Chapman added that his client had recently completed the Three Peaks Challenge for charity and was now attempting to lead a more “pro-social” life.
“It is not a mistake that Mr Holmes is likely to make again,” he said.
Deferring sentence to next month for the production of pre-sentencing reports, Sheriff Robert Frazer told Holmes, of Sunnyside, Diss, Norfolk: “Your behaviour is wholly unsatisfactory”
