Lawyers branded 'not credible' as woman is cleared of racial abuse

A SHERIFF yesterday branded a controversial lawyer "not credible" as she cleared a woman of racially abusing him and his wife.

Aamer Anwar, a human rights champion, and his wife Ifet, a commercial property solicitor, claimed they had been assaulted following a car accident.

But Sheriff Charlotte Coutts acquitted the woman, saying she preferred her evidence to that given by the Anwars.

Last night, the Law Society of Scotland said that if the sheriff had concerns about the conduct of Mr Anwar, then she should contact the professional body.

Mr Anwar is one of the most high-profile practitioners in the country. He is facing contempt of court proceedings in connection with the case of Mohammed Atif Siddique, Scotland's first "home-grown terrorist".

He and his wife had accused Lorraine Ferrie, an office manager, of taunting them following a crash in 2006.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that Mrs Anwar bumped into Miss Ferrie's Vauxhall Corsa in Wallace Street in the Gorbals area of the city on 9 August.

The couple told the trial they were shocked when Miss Ferrie said: "What is it with all you Pakistanis sticking together?" as the pair chatted after the collision.

But the 36-year-old – who admitted making the comment – denied being racist and claimed Mr Anwar had said to her: "Just like you white people."

Mrs Anwar, 29, claimed she saw Miss Ferrie giving her the V-sign and locked her door as she was "scared", before calling her husband to come and meet her.

When he arrived, the couple began chatting with an Asian woman who was in a car near to the scene. Mrs Anwar said: "Miss Ferrie came up behind us and she was muttering things. She then raised her voice, leaned forward and said: 'What is it with all you Pakistanis sticking together?'" Mr Anwar called the police and Miss Ferrie, of Cambuslang, was later arrested.

Mrs Anwar told the court: "I was insulted with the comment – it was abusive. I was upset and frightened by her behaviour. I felt that she was treating us in the way she did because we were Pakistani."

But Miss Ferrie said: "When I saw them talking I believed (Mr Anwar] was telling the ladies what to say – he was preparing them what to say when the police arrive.

"I started to get closer to them and Mr Anwar nodded his head towards me and they all fell silent. I said: 'What is this? All Pakistanis sticking together?' He replied: 'Yes, just like all you white people'."

Miss Ferrie denied the comment was racist and said if it had been a group of men chatting, she would have said: "'Is this all the boys sticking together?"

She also claimed that the accident was Mrs Anwar's fault and that she had threatened her. "She said to me: 'I am a lawyer, I am a lawyer, I will f***ing sort you'," she told the court.

The court heard that Miss Ferrie had never been in trouble before and had spent seven hours in a police cell after being arrested.

Mark Moir, the defence advocate, said: "This wasn't a racist comment, it is nothing more than a factual observation, which allowed Mr Anwar to – to coin a phrase – play the race card."

Acquitting Miss Ferrie of the charge of racially aggravated breach of the peace, Sheriff Coutts told her: "In this matter, I agree there were certain aspects in which the Crown witnesses Mr and Mrs Anwar were not credible.

"I find Miss Ferrie a reliable witness and where her story was not consistent to that given by the Anwars, I preferred her evidence."

On hearing the verdict, Miss Ferrie broke down and hugged her partner.

A spokeswoman for the Law Society of Scotland, which deals with lawyers' disciplinary issues, said last night: "If a judge or a sheriff has serious concerns about the conduct of a solicitor in court, in whatever capacity they are appearing, then they should contact the Law Society."

Mr Anwar declined to comment on the case, saying the credibility of evidence was "a matter for the sheriff".

He is awaiting a two-day contempt of court hearing over his conduct in the Siddique case.

He read out an impassioned statement after his client was convicted of providing material on bomb-making and weapons training, and threatening to become a suicide bomber.

Mr Anwar denounced the verdict as "a tragedy for justice and for freedom of speech" – which the trial judge took exception to.