Soldier told to behave after racist outburst

Published on Monday 18 August 2008 14:32

AN Iraq war veteran who made racist remarks about the Iraqi people two weeks after returning from the country has been told to behave for six months.

Private Mark Waddell had just returned from his first tour of duty to Iraq with the Royal Scots Borderers when he got into trouble on a night out in Edinburgh.

He head-butted a stranger in the face outside a bar, then repeatedly spat on a police officer as he was being arrested.

While he was at St Leonard's police station, Waddell began shouting offensive remarks about Iraqis.

At Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Waddell, accompanied by his platoon commander, pleaded guilty to assault and racially aggravated breach of the peace.

Sheriff Graeme Warner warned Waddell, who has a previous conviction for assault in 2002 when he was aged 16, he would face a prison sentence if he got into trouble again.

He deferred sentence on him for six months to allow him to show good behaviour.

"Its only because of the public service you have been performing in Iraq that I am going to give you the opportunity to show that this is not what is to be expected of the mature Mark Waddell," said the sheriff.

Waddell, who was drunk, had gone up to a group of people who were chatting in the smoking area of Mood bar in the city's Greenside Place on June 14 and tried to interrupt their conversation.

When they carried on chatting, he head-butted one of the group, 23-year-old Brian Crawford, causing his nose to bleed.

Police were called and Waddell spat several times on constable Christopher Scott as he was being detained, hitting the officer on the hand.

Fiscal depute Graham Fraser said: "He was taken to the police station and he began to talk about his time in Iraq and generally to be racist about the Iraqi people."

"He was no doubt making the remarks due to his severe intoxication," Mr Fraser added.

Jim Grant, defending, said Waddell was "highly regarded" by the army but had found Iraq a "traumatic experience".

He showed the sheriff a letter written by Waddell's platoon commander and said the officer was willing to give a testimonial to his colleague.

Mr Grant said Waddell could not remember how much he had drunk but was now "aghast" at his behaviour.

The soldier, who is based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, lives with his partner who had given birth to their first child just five weeks before the incident, said the lawyer.

He said Waddell, of Kaims Brae, Livingston, had just bought a house, his partner had suffered complications during childbirth and the baby had suffered jaundice.

"I think what happens to these young soldiers is they come back with six months salary and they are trying to release the pressure they have been under," said Mr Grant.

"These three factors caused him to go out on the town that night," he added.

Sheriff Warner said: "If you get into particular trouble of this sort again you will be in serious trouble.

"The disposal is entirely within your own hands," he added.