A MAN who attacked two Clydebank shopkeepers with a screwdriver and shouted racist remarks has been jailed for almost four years.

Kieran McGinley, previously of Burnside Court, pleaded guilty at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last month to the attacks at the Mountblow Superstore, Mountblow Road.

The 26-year-old entered with others at 7.20pm on May 29 last year and helped themselves to alcohol without paying.

There was a struggle with McGinley, who was seen dropping an item from his hand, which landed on the ground.

At the hearing last month, prosecutor Kevin Doherty said: “He left the shop threatening the shopkeepers with violence. He then went back into the shop and repeatedly attempted to strike one of the employees with a screwdriver, eventually connecting with him. He then threw a can of liquid over him and continued to shout and swear.

“He called them “P*** b*******’ and “black f****** b*******’.

“One of the employees suffered a cut to his right forearm, which was bleeding. A passing police patrol car was flagged down. McGinley was traced to his home, searched and the screwdriver was recovered as well as an item of bloodstained clothing.”

During the frenzied attack McGinley continued to make racist remarks to the two men, causing them alarm and distress.

The second incident, while he was on bail, happened on November 26, 2017, at Burnside Court, and was captured on CCTV in a lift, where he was along with his girlfriend at the time.

Mr Doherty went on: “There was some sort of altercation in the lift. He was seen on CCTV brandishing a knife and clearly seen making a slashing motion across his own throat.

“The lift stuck and police were called. When they arrived he did not react well and struggled violently. Within the police vehicle he was kicking a window and shouting and swearing. He bit one officer on the arm and spat at him.

“He was conveyed to Clydebank police station and his behaviour didn’t improve.”

At sentencing last week, defence solicitor Roddy Boag said his client started offending at 17 years old but there had been a “reasonable gap” in his record. He said drink featured in the crimes.

In a second case before the court last week, McGinley pleaded guilty to shouting, swearing, gesticulating and making threats towards a man and a woman in Second Avenue at the junction with Kilbowie Road. The male victim was 18 and McGinley “took exception” to him driving slowly.

The incident on March 4, 2017, happened two months before the racist attacks.

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “These offences were utterly unacceptable. Your treatment of the shopkeepers is utterly disgraceful.”

He jailed McGinley for 45 months, backdated to November 28. He will be supervised on his release for 12 months.