A racist thug who ripped off a Muslim woman's religious veil and threw it on the ground was jailed for two years yesterday.
Brute William Baikie grabbed the veil - known as a hijab - from 26-year-old Anwar Alqahtani as she was on her way to catch a train from Glasgow's Central Station.
Miss Alqahtani, who wears the hijab to protect her modesty as part of her religion, had to use another piece of clothing to cover her face after the veil was ripped as Baikie pulled it from her.
Baikie, 26, ran off but was later arrested by police after being identified on CCTV.
Miss Alqahtani, who had come to Scotland from Saudi Arabia to study for a masters degree, has quit her studies and is afraid to leave the house as a result of the attack.
Sentencing Baikie at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff Lindsay Wood told the racist what he did was an "absolute disgrace".
Sheriff Wood added: "The offence you committed was a shameful one.
"You are a man who has a number of racist convictions and you knew full well how offensive the act would have been to the lady."
The dad-of-two, whose address was given as HMP Barlinnie, admitted racially assaulting Miss Alqahtani by forcibly removing her veil at Hope Street, Glasgow, on April 27.
Prosecutor Iain Bradley told the court: "The incident was totally without warning.
"Miss Alqahtani had never seen this man before."
He added: "This thoughtless, disrespectful act has had a very serious and profound effect on Miss Alqahtani.
"She now feels that she has lost her independence as she is afraid to go out on her own in case it happens again.
"She is effectively house bound as a result of what the accused did."
Def ence lawyer Ken Sinclair told the court that his client was drunk at the time of the attack and can offer no explanation for what he did.
Mr Sinclair sa id: "He appreciates that such behaviour is totally unacceptable and he is deeply ashamed of what he did."
The Daily Record
