Nairn teen who hid Nazi flag in bedroom punished after spraying ‘staggeringly offensive’ anti-semitic graffiti and swastikas
A teenager who spray-painted "Gas the Jews" and several swastikas on walls and signs in Nairn has volunteered to participate in a programme designed to prevent extremist ideology.
While 18-year-old Peter Fonseca, of Macrae Avenue, Nairn was awaiting sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court, his lawyer Donna Seivwright revealed he had been participating in a rehabilitation programme called Prevent.
Fonesca had previously admitted three offences of malicious damage to property which occurred on the Riverside path between November 1 and November 19 last year; on Commercial Building in Church Road and the Riverside Park changing hut between January 31 and February 1.
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Sentence was deferred for a background report by Sheriff Gary Aitken who was noticeably shocked by the teenager's crimes.
He told the youngster: "I cannot over-emphasise to you how inappropriate at the very least behaviour of this kind is. The images and views you displayed are staggeringly offensive especially to those who fought and died to give you the freedom we all enjoy today.
"If this properly reflects your beliefs then there is something deeply wrong with you."
Fonseca appeared for sentence before Sheriff Ian Cruickshank and Ms Seivwright told him: "He is a young man and knows his behaviour is totally unacceptable.
"But he is also a vulnerable young man who would benefit with support.
“He is willing to engage with help. He is voluntarily engaging with the Prevent programme which aims to prevent extremist ideology."
Sheriff Cruickshank decided against a custodial sentence after hearing from fiscal depute Grant McLennan that police also found a Nazi flag along with cans of black paint hidden in Fonseca's bedroom.
As an alternative, due to Fonseca's age and lack of previous convictions, he imposed a community payback order with 200 hours of unpaid work and social work supervision for a year.
He told the youth: "Evincing hatred of any kind is totally and wholly unacceptable. I take a dim view of your actions."
