by Alex Dowdalls

A DALMUIR teenager narrowly avoided a jail sentence after admitting to launching a tirade of racial abuse at a Clydebank shopkeeper.

Joleen Thompson, 19, of Pattison Street, committed the offences on June 17, this year, at Mountblow Superstore, Mountblow Road, behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm.

Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard on Friday how jobless Thompson was shouting and swearing and made a series of racist remarks to the shopkeeper. She then attempted to steal a quantity of alcohol from the store.

At the time of the offences she was on bail from Dumbarton Sheriff Court, orders imposed on her on September 8, 2016 and June 2, 2017.

Prosecutor Craig Wainwright said: “At 9.45pm on June 17, 2017, Thompson entered the superstore and was approached by the shopkeeper who asked her to leave as she was barred. She acted aggressively. She told him to f*** off and that he was a P*** b****** and a f****** Muslim.

“She was told that police would be contacted. She replied ‘call them, I don’t care’.

“She grabbed two cans of Dragon Soop and attempted to leave the shop without paying. The shopkeeper managed to recover the cans from her possession. It was all captured on CCTV. The value of the cans came to £5.98.”

Thompson’s lawyer Gail Campbell told the court: “She is presently on a curfew. I have dealt with this woman since she was 16 years old. She is now 19 and realises her behaviour was completely unacceptable.

“When she saw the CCTV she had no recollection of events, such was her state of intoxication. She is also taking a lot of anti-depressant tablets.

“The court could send her to Cornton Vale Prison, which would be a short sharp shock and would satisfy society.

“On this day she had a difficult day, which began with an adoption hearing.

“She breached her curfew and made some very bad choices. The court has an option to impose a community payback order, with supervision, which would assist the community.”

Sheriff Simon Pender told her: “You have come perilously close to going into custody for a considerable period for this. I will give you the chance to show that you can change your ways. These were serious matters and your conduct was despicable.”

Thompson was put on a community payback order for 18 months and will be under the supervision of social workers. She was told to undergo alcohol counselling and was barred from entering the Mountblow Superstore for 10 months and carry out 210 hours of unpaid work.

Thomson, who is on benefits, was also ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the shopkeeper.

The sheriff also ordered Thomson to be electronically tagged for three months and told to remain at home each day between 7pm and 7am.

The sentence was a direct alternative to custody.