Video footage showing the moment a solicitor racially abused a Muslim mother and spat at her young son on a train.
Former company director Alexander MacKinnon, 47, was offended by the presence of Sanaa Shahid and her son four-year-old son Zayn, in “his” first-class carriage. He sneered at mother and son: “How did you get into first class? You don’t deserve to be in first class.
“You should be in common class. In fact, you shouldn’t be in this country at all.
“You don’t deserve to be here. Bloody foreigners. Where were you even born?”
MacKinnon also swore at Zayn. His social media “likes” include Donald Trump, the BNP and the far-right English Defence League.
None of the other passengers in the carriage intervened to help the Glasgow-born lawyer Sanaa. However, she bravely confronted MacKinnon and called him a racist.
She reported him to the train manager and transport police took him away in handcuffs. He continued to spout racist abuse when officers interviewed him.
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MacKinnon appeared in court last week and admitted a racist offence but was only fined.
Sanaa and Zayn unfortunate encounter with MacKinnon occurred on December 29 on the 2.30pm Virgin train from London Euston to Glasgow Central.
Sanaa was heading home with her son after visiting husband Aftab, 36, who works in London.
“This man started behaving aggressively to my son, telling him to shut up,” Sanaa told the Daily Record.
“I said to him that my son hadn’t done anything and then the abuse began. I moved seats to try to get away.
“I was taken aback. I’ve lived in Scotland all my life and nothing of this nature has ever happened to me. I told him straight that he was being racist and the staff on the train heard it.
“There were another 10 to 12 passengers in the carriage and not one of them spoke up. That was shocking too.”
Sanaa began filming MacKinnon and watched as he guzzled wine straight from the bottle.
She also listened as he picked up his phone and arrogantly told a friend that someone was “wasting police time” by accusing him of racism. He knew at the time that Sanaa had reported him.
MacKinnon spat at Sanaa: “I’m racist, am I? You’re a racist.” He then looked straight at Zayn and swore aggressively.
Sanaa said: “I started filming this man in the immediate aftermath of the incident. Even then I could hear him talking on the phone, ranting about me and Zayn.
“The train manager contacted British Transport Police. They came and sat next to me until the train got into Carlisle.
“The Virgin staff could not have been better. They realised what was happening and were brilliant.
“The transport police were waiting to interview me when the train got into Glasgow. They were brilliant too.”
MacKinnon appeared at Carlisle Magistrates Court last Tuesday and admitted a racially aggravated public order offence.
He was fined £1154, plus £50 compensation, a £150 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
PC Mark Mellenthin, who investigated the case, said MacKinnon’s “frightening racist outburst”, left Sanaa “visibly distressed and shaken”.
He added: “People like MacKinnon must understand that abusive, racist behaviour has no place on the railway. Everyone has the right to travel without fear of abuse like this.
“When it does happen we will do everything in our power to bring people before the courts.
“Hopefully MacKinnon’s substantial fine will make him think twice before unleashing such vitriol on other members of the public.”
This video was posted on YouTube by DOAM and originally sourced from the Daily Mirror.
