The manager of an Indian restaurant in Dundee today told how the Paris attacks had led to “non-stop” racist abuse.
Mohammed Irfan Nazir, 21, of the West End, spoke out after a man was sentenced for hurling vile insults while at his Curry Junction staff.
The culprit was not jailed, but Mr Nazir said he was happy with the way the case had been dealt with by the courts.
And he revealed how the horrific events which unfolded in Paris last November had been followed by a spike in racist incidents.
He said: “Sometimes people are rude and aggressive.
“After the Paris attacks last year it was non-stop. People can be racist.
“Sometimes it’s because of alcohol and that’s a lot harder to judge. What the guy was saying was not necessarily what he believes.
“It’s something for the law to sort out.
“The important thing is that my staff feel safe at work, which is why I phoned the police at the time.
“I’m glad I was there to sort it and happy that the court has dealt with it.
“The sentence seems fitting to me — unpaid work is a good response as it was my staff who were abused.”
Joel Justice, 25, of Bellfield Road, went into the takeaway on Perth Road on April 29 and drunkenly ordered food before launching his racist tirade.
He called staff “pakis” and told them “you keep your women like slaves”.
Sheriff Alistair Brown imposed a community payback order with 135 hours unpaid work, two years’ supervision and an alcohol treatment requirement.
Justice pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge that on April 29 he acted in a racially aggravated manner intended to cause alarm and distress to Rifa Nezir and Rehan Khan by shouting racist remarks at them and regarding them.
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