Man admits shouting racist abuse at asylum seekers in hotel

James Ritchie will be remanded in custody until he is sentenced

A man has admitted shouting racist abuse at the residents of a hotel housing asylum seekers in Perth.

James Ritchie, 31, was remanded in custody after he pled guilty to committing a hate crime by repeatedly shouting offensive remarks outside the Queens Hotel on 10 August last year.

Ritchie's record shows he has been convicted of 96 previous offences in Scotland including assault to injury, theft, housebreaking, drugs, shoplifting and countless court breaches.

Sheriff Jennifer Bain KC deferred sentencing at Perth Sheriff Court for the preparation of social work reports, a restriction of liberty order assessment and a drug treatment order assessment.

Fiscal depute Angela Clay told the court how a witness saw a male shouting outside the hotel and the police were called.

Since his first recorded conviction in 2012, Ritchie, who is from Perth, has committed at least one criminal offence on average every seven weeks.

In 2016, he was jailed for eight months after attacking paramedics, police and nursing staff who tried to help him when he collapsed in the street.

Fiscal depute Carol Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court that police found Ritchie lying half-dressed and intoxicated outside a block of flats in the city.

She said: "He was aggressive and shouting and swearing incoherently. Police helped the accused into an ambulance where he was strapped to a trolley.

"He was released from restraints, opened his eyes and looked directly at the paramedic and spat in his face. It struck him on the cheek and ear."

Ritchie - who had taken a cocktail of drugs at a party - was taken to Perth Royal Infirmary where he then spat several times at the staff nurse treating him.

Four police officers were called after he threatened to stab the nurse.

Ritchie launched a tirade of racist abuse at one of the police officers and told him he should take a look at his swastika tattoo.

He admitted a series of assault charges along with further offences of threatening behaviour and racist abuse.

Sheriff William Wood told Ritchie: "This was an appalling course of conduct.

"These were all people trying to help you when you were in a state where you couldn't help yourself."