A Portuguese visitor to Dunfermline was attacked in a bar by a drunk and had a glass thrown into his face.
The tourist was left with a deep cut following the unprovoked, racist attack by Michael Collins, who later claimed he was so drunk he could remember nothing about it.
However, he handed himself in after police released CCTV images of him more than two weeks after the incident.
Collins, 44, of Halkett Crescent, Dunfermline, admitted that on February 6 last year at Tappie Toories bar, Kirkgate, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing and making racist remarks.
He also admitted assaulting Ricardo Benardino by throwing a glass towards his head to his injury.
Depute fiscal Kyrsten Buist said Collins had gone into the bar at 11.45pm and asked for a drink. Also in the bar were the victim and a friend, both from Potugal.
The barmaid saw Collins had put his head down on the bar and asked if he okay.
Collins had then started talking to the victim and his friend. After just a few minutes Collins asked Mr Benardino if he was a Muslim.
“He told him he was not but that he did not have a problem with anyone who was,” said the depute.
Collins became aggressive, shouting that he hated Muslims and Mr Benardino ended his conversation with him.
“The accused suddenly lunged towards the complainer. The glass was thrown towards his head and struck him to the left side of his head.”
Other customers pulled Collins away from the victim and put him out of the bar.
The victim sustained a “deep 3cm cut above his left eyebrow” said the depute. “He was treated by paramedics who glued the wound shut”.
Collins later handed himself to the police and said he had no recollection of the incident because he was intoxicated.
Defence solicitor Gordon Martin said, “He had been drinking with work colleagues and didn’t stop drinking. He has no recollection of being in the pub.
“He attended at the police station after a relative saw a CCTV image police had put on Facebook. When told about this by the relative, he recognised himself from the image.”
Sheriff Craig McSherry imposed a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work and a six-month restriction of liberty order.
He was unable to impose a compensation order as the court did not have an address for the victim, who has since returned to Portugal.
