TWO men have appeared in court charged with "throwing stones" at people in an alleged racially-aggravated incident at a hotel housing asylum seekers in Inverclyde.
Lee Millar, 25, and Anthony Holten, 28, were arrested after police were called to a "disturbance" in the Main Street area of Greenock shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
The pair appeared from custody at Greenock Sheriff Court on Thursday afternoon charged with targeting two men at the town's Holiday Inn, which has recently been used to house male asylum seekers while their claims are processed.
They are alleged to have chased the complainers and thrown stones at them, as well as repeatedly shouting, swearing and uttering threats of violence and offensive remarks towards them.
Prosecutors say the behaviour was aggravated by prejudice relating to race, colour, nationality or ethnic origins.
Millar, of Carwood Street, pleaded not guilty to the single charged through defence solicitor Gerry Keenan.
The Crown says he was on a sheriff court bail order at the time of the alleged offence.
Holten, of Clynder Road, also pleaded not guilty through lawyer Aidan Gallagher.
Keenan and Gallagher both lodged motions for bail, with the Crown seeking special conditions forbidding Millar and Holten from entering the curtilage of the hotel or approaching or contacting either of the two complainers.
Fiscal depute Shaun Alexander also requested that the pair be made subject to a curfew condition as part of their bail order, noting the "nature of the allegation" and the time at which it is said to have taken place.
Alexander told Sheriff Simon Fraser: “Your lordship will be aware of current events.”
Sheriff Fraser said he was not satisfied that the curfew was necessary, but granted bail subject to the other special conditions.
A trial was fixed for December 30 at Greenock Sheriff Court.
