An Angus man who lost the plot while trying to ring a Saturday night takeaway has been served up with a community order.
William Bannon, from Brechin, tried to place a last-minute telephone order with Marmaris in the town’s High Street for himself and his partner earlier this year.
But the 26-year-old shouted racist and anti-Turkish abuse down the phone and then attended at the takeaway, where a fight broke out on May 7.
Depute Fiscal Robbie Brown said the frustrated man had rung just before the takeaway shut at 1am but ended up abusing the man on the line before the call was “terminated.”
“The accused went to the shop and began banging hard on the door,” he said.
“One of the occupants opened the door, and the accused tried to push past him and punched the complainer on the head.”
In the ensuing struggle, the accused then began kicking at the door.
Mr Brown said the complainer sustained a bloody nose and abrasions from the scuffle, but needed no treatment.
The police turned up and the accused was still shouting racial remarks at the complainers.
Defence agent Ross Bennett said his client did not aim the first blow when he entered the takeaway but accepted he had behaved aggressively.
“The accused reckons it was about 12.25pm when he phoned to order food,” he said.
“There is CCTV footage that shows it was twenty to one when he came around.
“There seemed to be a perceived language barrier.”
Mr Bennet said the complainer “aimed a kick” at the accused as he entered.
“He should really have made good his escape,” he added. “He accepts that.
“The premises closed about two weeks after this incident and it’s understood it’s to reopen with new management.”
Mr Bennett admitted his client had a previous conviction on indictment for assault.
Sheriff Gregor Murray imposed a one-year community payback order on Bannon, with supervision requirements and 150 hours of unpaid work.
He told him: “I accept to some extent you were a victim in this.
“But the language used in the phone call, and the aggression you showed when you turned up, means that you are the author of your own misfortune.”
Bannon, of Bridge Street, admitted causing fear and alarm, assaulting Ramin Golizadeh at the Marmaris takeaway by punching him on the head to his injury, and destroying property on May 7.