Racial abuse woman fined

Nov 13 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A DRUGGIE was this week fined for racially abusing a shop assistant at a Hamilton chemist.

Diane Baker, of Small Crescent, Blantyre, pleaded guilty to acting in a racially-aggravated manner at the Lloyds Pharmacy in the Burnbank Centre last Saturday, November 8.

Baker shouted, swore and threatened Sabrina Ahmad with violence and called her a “black cow”.

The 28-year-old’s not guilty plea to a further charge of attempting to steal hair dye was accepted by the Crown.

The fiscal depute told Hamilton Sheriff Court last Monday that Ms Ahmad had been working in the shop when, about 2.30pm, the accused’s demeanour aroused her suspicions.

She approached Baker and suggested that the accused intended to steal something.

However, Baker, seemingly offended, said she wasn’t going to steal anything.

The accused then subjected Ms Ahmad to a tirade of racial abuse.

Baker’s solicitor Charles Ferguson said his client had visited the shop with the intention of buying items.

However, she took umbrage when she had been accused of stealing.

Baker, he said, accepted she had overreacted and apologised for any inconvenience she had caused.

The lawyer also pointed out that Baker was unemployed and receiving benefits at the rate of £120 per fortnight.

Mr Ferguson also pointed out that Baker had recently been allocated her own house.

Her drug problems, he said, were in hand and she was on a methadone programme.

Baker’s previous convictions include theft by shoplifting, theft, breach of probation and reset.

Sheriff Douglas Brown fined Baker £200 for the offence.