Glasgow Sheriff Court (Image by Architects’ Journal)

Employees at a car parts shop in Glasgow were abused and attacked by racist bullies.

Mazher Latif, 53, Aftab Hussain, 56, Muzeffar Ahmed, 55 and Ather Latif, 53, were having a normal day at work when they encountered Kieran Coyle, 30, and David McAlpine, 27, who verbally and physically abused the men at Auto Cruisers Superstore in Gallowgate.

Both Coyle and McAlpine were under the influence when they entered the store on May 4, 2022, the Glasgow Sheriff Court heard. 

Coyle shouted “you don’t belong here, this is our country” and McAlpine said “you p**i b******s”.

The employees were eventually able to move the pair outside where Coyle got hold of a metal pole and continued to shout “p**i b******s”.

Coyle then proceeded to throw the metal pole in the direction of Mazher Latif which struck him on the head and injured him. 

Aftab Hussain was also struck in the head in the same fashion. 

After this, he dropped the pole while McAlpine fled the scene.

Prosecutor Lauren Donnelly said, “Coyle ran towards him and punched him with a closed fist to the right side of the head.”

She added, “Coyle and McAlpine continued to behave aggressively towards the men punching Mazher Latif and Muzeffar Ahmed to the head and body.”

The heated encounter led to Latif being taken to the hospital where he received six stitches to his wound on the head.

Hussain on the other hand escaped with minimal injuries and did not require any further medical treatment. 

Both the offenders were arrested soon after and pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards the men.

David McCaig, Coyle’s defender, informed the court that the metal pole was extracted from a hoover at the store.

He added, “He instructs me to tell the court that he is utterly remorseful.”

Paul Keenan, defending McAlpine, stated, “He accepts that this is deplorable and utterly reprehensible.”

Coyle was jailed for 32 months while McAlpine, of Gourock, Inverclyde, will be sentenced next month and was granted bail until then.

Sheriff Paul Reid said, “This was an act of extreme violence against members of society who are serving the public in numerous ways – these people need to be protected.”