A 20-year-old Inverness man who made racist remarks about a group of Polish youths he had confronted will be sentenced next month.
Ryan Park, 4 Torvean Avenue, was found guilty by Sheriff David Sutherland after trial yesterday at the city’s Sheriff Court after a plea to acquit by defence lawyer Pauline Chapman was rejected.
She argued that her client’s remarks although of a racial nature, offensive and rude were not criminal but expressions of opinion made two police officers called to attend the disturbance on August 30 at Bellfield Park.
The court heard that Park was found by police bare-chested and holding a ripped tee-shirt, while one of the Polish youths was injured.
No-one would tell the police what happened, and Park ran off when the officers arrived.
When they caught him in the park, he made two comments.
When asked what had happened, he swore and made reference to the second nationality.
PC Chris MacAulay then claimed he heard Park shout a few minutes later while being questioned by his colleague, PC Alex Wood, referrring to Polish people and swearing: “They don’t belong in this country.” He was then arrested.
The Sheriff deferred sentence for a background report and Park will re-appear on February 5.