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A dog owner launched a foul-mouthed, racist tirade at a nurse wrongly believing she was 'Asian' - when in fact she was just wearing fake tan.

Christopher Galloway, 58, called Barbara Booth a "P*** b****" after kicking her dog and throwing a punch at her in a park, a court heard.

Galloway, a retired accountant, has been found guilty of carrying out a string of attacks on fellow dogs owners in Eglinton Park in North Ayrshire, Scotland.

Galloway was found guilty of kicking no fewer than four dogs on three separate occasions in just seven weeks, the Daily Record reports.

The father-of-eight was also found guilty of assaulting an elderly man and a young mother.

Despite having pleaded not guilty to the charges, Galloway apologised for his actions at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Thursday, saying “with hindsight” he may “have overreacted”.

Galloway was found guilty of nine of 12 charges against him – he was found not-guilty of three others.

The court heard from five witnesses against Galloway, four of whom were proved to be his victims.

First witness, John Patrick, told how Galloway had kicked his golden retriever twice, before punching him three times in the face – on New Year’s Day.

That left the 63-year-old with a bloodied mouth and broken glasses.

Under questioning from depute fiscal Claire McKeveny, he told the court: “My dog ran up to a dog and when I got there a man started kicking my dog, and I said ‘there’s no need for that’.

“He kicked him on the neck and chest, but not just one kick, it was three kicks I think."

(Image: Google Street View)

"I said again, ‘there’s no need to kick the dog,’ then he started cursing and swearing at me.

“He called me a f***ing c*** and was really close to me – the next thing I knew, he started punching me. I was amazed and stunned.”

Defending, Mr Irving asked Mr Patrick if his golden retriever had bitten Galloway’s springer spaniel, Tash.

Mr Patrick said he did not believe that it had, but conceded the spaniel “squealed”.

Galloway later told the court Mr Patrick’s dog had left his spaniel with “three puncture wounds” with “blood coming out of them”. Ms McKeveny claimed, “that’s simply not true”.

Of his assault on Mr Patrick, Galloway told the court: “I was bending down to see Tash was okay after his dog had clamped onto him, when I felt a glancing blow on the side of my head.

“I thought, ‘he’s hit me, but I don’t blame him. I would’ve probably hit someone if they had struck my dog too’. I’m a dog lover.

“I stood up straight, but he’s a good bit taller than me, I’m only 5ft 3”.

I could tell he was angry and I thought, ‘he’s going to hit me,’ so I felt I needed to punch him. He didn’t look like a violent person.”

The Crown then called their second witness, nurse Barbara Booth whose Hungarian Wiesler, Leo, was also kicked by Galloway.

That was on January 27. The 40-year-old was jogging with her dog, as she does “about four times a week if the weather’s good.

Ms Booth’s dog was “off the leash” and running beside her, which she admitted he always did.

She told the court: “I was running towards a man and a dog and Leo ran ahead. The two dogs were off the lead and just playing, sniffing each other.

“Then I saw the man kicking Leo. I shouted at him, ‘hey, your dog was off the lead too’. He just started screaming at me about having my dog under control.

“I bent down to grab Leo and pull him away and the man tried to punch me, but missed.”

Court heard how Galloway walked away before returning towards Ms Booth, “shouting and waving his finger” in her face.

He then called her a “P*ki b***h”. She added: “I just couldn’t believe it. I had just had a fake tan the night before, but it doesn’t matter – you just don’t expect to hear that kind of language.

“He was almost snarling at me. He was just so angry. There was hatred in his eyes.”

Galloway told court that Ms Booth may have “thought” he was kicking her dog as he was trying to get in between Leo and Tash, as he said Leo was “growling” at his dog and trying to attack him.

He added: “I would never hit a woman deliberately, I just don’t understand that accusation.

And I’m not a racist – I’m flabbergasted at that.“I have friends, especially from when I worked in London, who are Asian. I would never say that.”

Sisters Heather Hargreaves and Pamela Cox then told the court how, on February 13, two of their three dogs had been kicked by Galloway in front of Pamela’s eight-year-old daughter, Ellie.

That happened at Sourlie Woods in the Lawthorn area of Irvine.

Upon confronting him about hitting their dogs - including a Jack Russell puppy - Galloway punched Ms Hargreaves on the face whilst holding the handle of his extension lead.

The 35-year-old was left with a chipped tooth and bruising to her face. She has since required dental treatment and will require more to have her tooth fixed properly.

Her sister Pamela managed to get a picture of Galloway and reported the matter to the police “immediately”. He was arrested later that day.

In court he said: “I was trying to get away when she was coming after me trying to get a picture. I thought to myself, ‘I can’t believe this has happening again, this is the third time in just six or seven weeks’.

“But Tash was in danger. He wasn’t in mortal danger this time like it was the first time. The two of them were in my face, shouting and swearing. They were angry and trying to get my picture.”

Galloway claimed that he ‘may have’ put his hands up in defence, holding his extension lead, which he now thought is likely to have hit Ms Hargreaves.

He added: “I wouldn’t hit a woman, but I now believe I probably have done that by accident, and I’m so sorry about that. I felt really bad for her when she was giving evidence.”

When cross-questioned by Ms McKeveny, Galloway apologised for his abusive language on all occasions, and admitted that he had “overreacted” and was angry because he felt his dog was in danger.

However, his not guilty pleas to nine of the 12 charges against him were not accepted by Sheriff Hall, who said he did not find his evidence to be credible.

Sentence was deferred till April 24 for a criminal justice social work report. Galloway was released on bail and told he must not walk his dog until after sentencing.