The pair were part of a group who yelled ‘You are the black bastard bus driver’. (Picture: Glasgow Court Press Agency)

Two racist thugs have been spared jail after they admitted throwing bricks and lit fireworks at a disabled pensioner.

Jack Gemmell, 18, and a 17-year-old male who cannot be identified, launched the vicious assault on refugee Able Miller at his Springburn home last year.

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The pair were part of a group who yelled ‘You are the black bastard bus driver’.

Last month at Glasgow Sheriff Court, Gemmell and the other teenager pleaded guilty to racially assaulting Mr Miller, 62, on November 6.


And yesterday sheriff Daniel Scullion handed both men an 18-month community payback order with a number of conditions.

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Dad-of-three Able Miller tried to protect his family (Picture: Glasgow Court Press Agency)

Jack Gemmell threw bricks and fireworks at the disabled pensioner (Picture: Spindrift)

He said: ‘It’s quite clear that this incident has had a very considerable effect on Mr Miller.



‘Each of you along with others unknown, took part in an appalling attack on Mr Miller. By your pleas you accept that your conduct in so doing was racially aggressive.’

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Both will be supervised for the duration of the order, and must carry out 210 hours of unpaid work.

They will also wear a tag for three months and stay at home during certain times of the day.

Speaking at the time, Mr Miller said he arrived in Scotland in 2002 from Zimbabwe where he was a wealthy engineer and stood for election to his country’s parliament in 2000.

He said: ‘When I saw the flash of the first firework, I thought they were going to burn us out. I wasn’t going to let that happen. I went out to try and stop them.

‘My daughter has Down’s Syndrome and she ran frightened to hide under the bed. I’d do anything to protect my children.’

He was injured during the horrific hate crime attack (Picture: Glasgow Court Press Agency)

The teenagers were caught on CCTV (Picture: Glasgow Court Press Agency)

They were identified shortly after that attack (Picture: Glasgow Court Press Agency)

The court heard Mr Miller’s wife and two daughters were in the house around 12.30am when there was a ‘loud explosion type noise’ from his front garden.

He was fearful that it may have caused damage to his home and checked CCTV on his driveway.

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The 62-year-old saw Gemmell, the other teenager and three others holding a box of fireworks and went outside to check what was happening.

Procurator fiscal depute Lindsay Madden said: ‘On walking on the path towards both accused standing within the group of persons, Mr Miller heard the comment ‘you black bastard’, however could not tell who had made it.

‘The female was in possession of the box of fireworks and both accused along with others in the group, took turns to light and throw them in the direction of Mr Miller.

‘Several of the lit fireworks struck Mr Miller to the body.’

As he tried to make his way back into his house, Gemmell and the rest of the group threw bricks towards him, hitting him on the body and left knee.

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Mrs Madden added: ‘Mr Miller uses a walking stick to assist his mobility.

‘Throughout the incident, Mr Miller heard comments such as ‘We know you, you are the black bastard bus driver’ being made.

‘He was left with pain to his side and knee and suffered a cut to the top of his foot.’



Mr Miller contacted the police who viewed CCTV and took details of the terrifying incident. The accused were identified from the footage.

Yesterday, defence lawyer Marisa Borland said Gemmell has been doing volunteer work and has written a letter to Mr Miller showing ‘genuine remorse’ which he hopes will be passed to his victim.