A CLYDEBANK man launched a bag of hot food at Kilbowie shop staff after they refused to let him buy booze.

Repeat offender Souness Clark avoided jail for the abuse after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing at Dumbarton Sheriff Court, where he admitted his shame over the incident and apologised.

Clark visited the Co-operative on Kilbowie Road to buy alcohol at around 4.24pm on March 10, 2020.

Depute fiscal Rebecca Reid told the court that while in the store, he picked up some hot food and a drink before approaching the tills.

One of the shop workers recognised that he had been previously barred from the store and refused the alcohol purchase.

The 31-year-old quickly became aggressive and started shouting and swearing calling one of the workers a “fat, sweaty cow”.

Ms Reid said that Clark then began to pick up items from the counter and throw them.

As he went to leave the store he threw the brown bag containing hot food at the shop workers.

His defence solicitor said her client has since had “a lot of thinking time”.

She said: “He has not committed any further offences. His cousin passed away and he fell into a spiral of drink and drugs.

“He has managed to get a grip of the substance misuse issues. He has had a lot of thinking time and starting to make more positive life choices.

“He is very ashamed of his conduct and happily apologises to the shop workers. He basically wants to grow up.”

Clark admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner which caused a person fear or alarm by shouting, swearing and uttering offensive remarks and throwing items of food. He did this whilst on bail from Perth Sheriff Court.

The Post previously reported Clark was put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years for sexually assaulting an air stewardess whilst en route to a football game.

Addressing Clark on January 11, Sheriff William Gallacher said: “This is utterly hideous behaviour to people doing their job. You have in your past behaviour indicated that you are not allowed in the shop and you have to respect that.”

Clark was placed on a community payback order with 12 months of social work supervision. He was also required to pay £150 compensation of £10 per fortnight to the shop workers.