A man who called his daughter’s boyfriend’s parents “Polish pigs” and threatened to batter them must complete 80 hours of unpaid work.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Stuart McConnachie telephoned the couple, who were actually Macedonian, and made the racially aggravated comments on March 10 2019
Fiscal depute David Morton told the court that the incident took place against the background of an ongoing disagreement and that during the phone call McConnachie had called them “Polish pigs” and said: “Why are you coming to Inverness? I’m going to batter you all.”
But defence solicitor Matthew Berlow, for McConnachie, said the remarks were simply a “loss of control” prompted by concern for his teenage daughter who he believed was being led astray by the couple’s son,
‘He regrets the racist language’
Mr Berlow said his client had perceived the young man as being responsible and had taken issue with the parents after they “harboured” instead of returning the teenage girl when she absconded from her home.
“He very much regrets his loss of temper and the use of the racist language,” Mr Berlow said.
McConnachie, of Torvean Avenue, Inverness, admitted a single charge of acting in a racially aggravated manner that caused or was intended to cause alarm or distress in relation to the incident.
Mr Berlow reminded the court that the offence took place two and a half years ago and said his client and the daughter had moved on from that time.
Sheriff David Sutherland ordered McConnachie to complete 80 hours of unpaid work within the next 12 months.
