A JUDGE HAS said unprovoked racial abuse showered on a takeaway owner was utterly unacceptable.

Thomas McCaughey (45) of Annalitten, Castleblaney, Co Monaghan was before Donegal District Court last week. He pleaded guilty to assaulting Karnail Singh at Apache Pizza, The Diamond Donegal Town on 23 April. He also admitted threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour on the same date.

Mr Singh gave evidence that at about 4am on Sunday, McCaughey walked into Apache Pizza and immediately became abusive to staff.

“I tried to calm him down,” he said. “He tried to come over the counter. He hit me.”

Judge Kevin Kilrane asked if the abuse was racial.

The victim replied that McCaughey called him a foreigner and a black bastard and was very threatening.

When asked exactly what other words were used during the ten minutes of abuse, Mr Singh said: “He called me Muslim. He told me ‘go back home motherfucker’.”

Mr Singh said the defendant asked him what he was doing here and told him to go back to his own country. He said McCaughey threatened to ‘put’ him back in his own country.

Judge Kilrane asked how the incident impacted on the business.

“There were around 20 customers. We couldn’t serve anybody while that was going on,” he answered.

The defendant had stated at the outset that he did not want a solicitor. Judge Kilrane again offered him the opportunity to take legal advice.

“Your liberty is very much at stake here,” he cautioned.

McCaughey replied:

I am only going to say what a solicitor is going to say. I apologise to the victim. It was very much out of character.

Judge Kilrane said it was shocking behaviour for a man of 45.

“Here is this man trying to make a living and foul and filthy abuse is hurled at him,” he said.

This type of racial abuse is going to stop. A signal must go out that this is utterly and completely unacceptable.

He ordered McCaughey to pay €1,000 compensation if he wanted to avoid jail. The judge added that if McCaughey paid the compensation, he would still face a fine.

The case was adjourned to 22 May.

Comments are closed as proceedings are ongoing.