A Queenstown man is upset a drunken Scotsman knocked his
turban from his head and only received diversion for it.
Jasmail Singh, a 26-year-old Sikh living in Queenstown, says
the man who took his turban from his head last Monday night
should be charged with assault and dealt with by the court.
Mr Singh had been working night shift at McDonald's at
midnight, when a 19-year-old Scottish man walking past the
Camp St premises grabbed his turban and ran.
The man was initially charged with disorderly behaviour
likely to cause violence, but has since been granted
diversion and will fly home to Scotland this week. Senior
Constable Chris Blackford interviewed him when he had sobered
up the morning after, and was satisfied the act had no racist
intent.
''It wasn't a hate crime or racially motivated,'' Snr Const
Blackford said.
The 19-year-old was ordered to pay $500 in emotional
reparation.
Mr Singh turned the payment down and has since asked police
to charge the man with assault, but this was declined.
''He should appear in the court.
''He should be charged with assault,'' Mr Singh said.
The force the Scottish man used amounted to assault in his
opinion, but he was satisfied the act was purely a drunken
prank and not racist, Mr Singh said.
Sergeant Blair Duffy, of Queenstown, met Mr Singh last week
and explained why the charge of assault was not laid. Mr
Singh said he was so upset he ran downstairs at the
McDonald's restaurant because he could not face the ''shame''
of showing his hair in public as his religion forbade it.
He has had two meetings with Victim Support to help him deal
with the issue.
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