A racist ranter with a “formidable” record said prison had been “no help to him” after he abused a shop staff member in the city centre.
Lynsey Sloan, 42, admitted calling a shop keeper a “black b*****d” in a disgusting tirade in October at hardware store Home Choice, on Murraygate.
He had been spotted by two staff members who recognised Sloan as a shoplifter.
When they approached him, after watching him stuff items from a shelf into a bag, he began to get aggressive, Dundee Sheriff Court heard.
Despite “meeting the threshold for custody”, Sloan avoided prison after a sheriff heard he had repeatedly been before but it had done “no good”.
Racist outburst
Depute fiscal Lana Norrie told the court: “At around 11am on October 9, the witnesses were within the Home Choice store on duty.
“The shop was busy at the time, there were customers in the store.
“The accused entered the store and was recognised by the witnesses.
“He was observed to be taking things from a display drawer.
“He placed the items in a carrier bag.
“He was challenged by staff and at this point the accused became aggressive and abusive.
“He did let the staff look in the bag.
“He challenged the staff to a fight before calling one of the men a ‘black b*****d’.
“He said ‘I’ll see you outside’ and made a reference to knowing what car belonged to the staff member.
“He told that staff member his ‘friend’ would find him and assault him.
“Two police officers were on patrol on Murraygate and a member of the public made them aware of the incident.
“They went to the store and escorted the accused out.
“He continued to shout ‘he is a black b*****d’.
“The accused was immediately arrested.”
Prison has ‘done no good’
Sloan admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner, aggravated by racial prejudice.
Defence solicitor Douglas McConnell, in mitigation for Sloan, said: “He has a formidable record.
“He cannot get away from his actions that day.
“His conduct was very far away from the conduct people working in shops deserve.
“He has been in and out of prison but it has no effect on him.
“Custody has done no good, so far.”
Sentencing Sloan, of Hilltown Court, to 14 months supervision and a six-month restriction of liberty order, Sheriff John Rafferty said: “Not one word of apology or regret has been said in his report.
“I find it difficult to understand someone who would behave in that manner towards another human being.”
For more local court content visit our dedicated page, or join us on Facebook.
