A pupil enjoying a day out with friends was left terrified when he was subjected to racial abuse from a drunken teenager.
The 13-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was travelling on a bus from St Andrews to Cupar when Jordan McGhie launched a sustained verbal attack.
McGhie (17), Balgarvie Crescent, Cupar, admitted that, on July 1, he acted in a racially aggravated manner, using offensive language and causing alarm and distress.
Depute fiscal Lesley Smith told Cupar Sheriff Court how witnesses had described McGhie as being ”drunk and noisy” when he boarded the bus at St Andrews bus station at around 5.45pm.
He sat near the complainer and his friends and soon attempted to engage them in conversation. An argument broke out during which the accused used offensive, racist words.
”The complainer took objection to the use of such words and this led to a further disagreement,” said Ms Smith.
The driver became aware of the altercation and stopped the vehicle.
Ms Smith added: ”At that stage another passenger approached the driver and said there had been a racist incident.”
Solicitor Alan Davie said, ”Mr McGhie had consumed a significant quantity of alcohol. He now appreciates how he would have felt if he was in the complainer’s shoes and knows it must have been extremely distressing.”
Sheriff Charles Macnair gave McGhie a one-year community payback order, including a condition that he carry out 160 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £300 compensation.