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A drunken lout with prison in his past said he did not know where the rage inside him came from as he carried out a shocking racially motivated verbal and physical attack on two takeaway workers.

John McCormack, 43, appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, having pleaded guilty to assault and threatening behaviour at Rawthers, Vicar Street, Falkirk on August 10.

Melissa Phillips, procurator fiscal depute, said: “Witnesses were working in the takeaway in Vicar Street at 11pm. The accused, for no apparent reason, was immediately aggressive and began shouting and swearing racist remarks saying the staff were terrorists who needed to die.

"He kept repeating this over and over again.”

McCormack appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court

McCormack left the shop, but returned an hour later.

"He began shouting and issuing threats again,” said the procurator fiscal depute. “He continued to swear and use racist remarks, saying they were terrorists. The witnesses were terrified and kept asking the accused to leave.

"One witness retreated into the kitchen area and the accused followed him and got right in his face, grabbed him and pushed him back, punching him to the face.

"The accused then threatened to stab another worker. Police attended at the premises and saw the witness had fresh bruising and swelling to the right side of his face and the beginning of a black eye.”

The court heard McCormack was a working family man who had a record of offending when he was younger and had been in prison before.

It was stated he was “unable to explain his behaviour” and did not “seek to hide behind the alcohol he had consumed”. He said he “doesn’t understand where the rage comes from inside him”.

Sheriff Craig Harris said: “You appear to be embarrassed by your behaviour – you should be. This is appalling, racially motivated conduct against shop workers who should never have to be subjected to verbal, physical or racist abuse.

"It’s abhorrent.”

Sheriff placed McCormack, 50 Mackay Gardens, Falkirk, on a supervised community payback order for 13 months with the condition he complete 250 hours unpaid work within 18 months and pay his two victims a total of £1250 compensation at a rate of £100 per month.

Drunken racist customer called takeaway staff terrorists and then punched worker in the face