Dog walker prosecuted over homophobic abuse in Glasgow
By Ross Semple
A man has been convicted after calling a woman a “fucking dyke” on a Glasgow street.
As reported in the Evening Times, William Westwater had parked his car on Byres Road in the city’s West End, with his dog inside the vehicle. A 28-year-old woman observed Westwater shouting at the dog and pulling on its lead and began to film the incident, concerned for the animal’s welfare.
When Westwater, 35, noticed that he was being filmed he began shouting homophobic abuse at the woman. “I’ll slap you across the street, you stupid fucking dyke.”
He continued his assault, telling the woman he would “take that phone and throw it across the road,” before telling her to “Get to fuck.”
He then went up to the woman and struck her hand, causing her to hit herself in the head with the phone. This caused a cut to the victim’s left eye and she subsequently reported the incident to the police.
Westwater appeared in front of Glasgow Sheriff court, where he entered a guilty plea to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner by shouting, swearing, uttering homophobic remarks and threatening her with violence and striking the victim on the hand.
He was ordered to pay a £600 fine and £250 in compensation to the victim.
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