A MAN who threatened a Clydebank shop owner with a metal pole and racist language has avoided a jail sentence.

John Agnew, of Craigielea Road, Duntocher, took offence to his dog being kicked out of Madan’s Stores earlier and spent a day repeatedly harassing staff before picking up the weapon.

The 41-year-old later pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon and to shouting, swearing and making racial remarks.

Fiscal depute Rebecca Reid told Dumbarton Sheriff Court on November 30 that around 11am on October 11, staff were in the shop in Dalgleish Avenue.

The doors to the shop were pen to allow air in and a vehicle was seen to pull up outside.

Agnew began to shout and swear towards the owner of the shop before then driving off. He didn’t enter the shop.

Around 5.10pm, Agnew was again outside the door and started shouting and swearing towards owner, calling him a “Black b***ard”. The staff ignored the comments and didn’t retaliate, said Ms Reid.

“He appeared to be extremely irate and in his possession of a large metal pole,” said Ms Reid. “Again he was calling the man a ‘Black b***ard’ before striking the counter with the pole and then striking various items on the counter causing them to fall over.

“A further witness working as a shop assistant attempted to intervene and calm down the accused. But the accused then turned his attention to him and told him to stay back or he would use violence towards him.”

Agnew left, dropping the pole outside before returning again and continuing his verbally abusive behaviour.

When he was charged, Agnew replied: “It was my wheel brace from my car. I took it from my car and went into the shop and smashed things up with it but avoided hitting any human being.

“The ‘Black b***ard” bit, he called me a ‘wee junkie b***ard’ first as well.”

Defence solicitor Judith Reid said her client’s position was that a few weeks before the incident, Agnew’s dog had run into the shop and the owner shouted abuse at him. The anger built up in him.

Ms Reid said her client had a past criminal record but had been out of trouble for seven or eight years.

“He is someone who has struggled with alcohol since the age of 11. He has done everything he can to deal with these matters since the offences. He will take on board any help he can get.

“He is in a period of sobriety for the first time in some time. There’s a lot of work that can be done.

“He accepts this is extremely serious and he faces a custodial sentence and never should have behaved in this way.”

Sheriff David Hall said: “You repeatedly returned to this shop directing abuse at the shop owner. This seemed to have arisen from a seemingly insignificant matter.”

He ordered Agnew to be under social work supervision for 12 months and do 120 hours of unpaid work. This was an alternative to custody.