A drunk man racially abused a worker in an Argyll kebab shop after he told him they did not sell ham, a court heard.
Philip Moriarty, 36, shouted and swore at the staff in Kebabish Curry House, called them “jihadis”, and made references to Isis before spitting on then punching the shop window and threatening to “rip them up”.
Moriarty, of Carlow in Ireland, pleaded guilty to acting in a racially aggravated manner in the George Street takeaway on Friday.
He appeared from custody yesterday at Oban Sheriff Court and was fined £600.
Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: “The accused entered the premises and asked for a ham pizza. He was informed by Adnan Tariq that they didn’t sell ham on the premises.
“At that point the accused started calling Mr Tariq a jihadi and muttering something about Isis. The accused went outside and two men who were present watched as he shouted and swore about Jihadis to the staff inside the premises.
“The two men were on their way into the shop when the accused shouted and swore, saying ‘don’t go in there, they are a bunch of jihadis,’ then he spat on the window.
“The two people tried to calm him down at which point he told them he was from Belfast and he would rip the staff up. He punched the window then walked off.”
One of the customers informed a passing policeman about what had happened.
Moriarty was seen on CCTV by police and arrested the following morning.
Solicitor Laura McManus said he used to work as a chef in Oban and had been catching up with old friends while on his way to take up a job in Skye.
Mrs McManus said: “He was extremely intoxicated. He has no recollection whatsoever of these frankly horrible comments.
“He has no explanation for his behaviour, other than to say that he was extremely intoxicated. He is not someone who describes himself as harbouring racist views.”
Sheriff Anderson said: “They are really offensive comments. These were people just trying to make a living and going about their business, being subjected to this.”
Shaukat Chaudhry, owner of Kebabish, said: “We don’t want to put people in custody or have them fined, but we don’t like people abusing us.
“We try our best to give good service to customers but I will definitely not tolerate something like that to one of my staff.
“Things like that don’t happen often but sometimes, yes, especially when people are drunk.
“Oban people are generally very friendly.
“Most of the time I try to handle any trouble myself. I don’t like to involve the police but sometimes you have to.”
