AN ORMISTON man threatened to stab a shopkeeper during a racist outburst. . . only to be seen off as his target bravely fought back.

Peter Perallos, 34, shouted “I’m going to stab you” at Mohammed Shazaad before calling the store owner “a black b******” and “a P*** b******”.

Perallos and Mr Shazaad then traded punches after the shopkeeper stood up for himself within the The Little Superstore, Ormiston.

Perallos fled after the brave shopkeeper grabbed a golf club that he kept behind the counter and waved it at him. Police were called and Perallos was traced to his home at nearby Park Road on October 30.

Perallos appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court from custody last Wednesday, where he admitted uttering threats of violence and racially offensive remarks, and fighting with Mr Shazaad within his shop.

Prosecutor Calum Thomson told the court that trouble erupted outside the store at about 5.30pm when Mr Shazaad heard a disturbance in the street between Perallos and customer Ian McGeorge.

The row then “spilled into the shop”, where the store owner heard Perallos threatening to stab Mr McGeorge.

Mr Thomson added: “At that stage, the argument turns into one between Mr Shazaad and the accused.

“Both men were close to each other and the accused shouted ‘black b******’ and ‘P*** b******’ in the direction of Mr Shazaad.

“In response, Mr Shazaad has struck the accused to the face.

“Thereafter, a two-way fight between Mr Shazaad and the accused takes place, with blows exchanged.”

The fiscal added that Perallos then shouted “I’m going to stab you” at the shocked shopkeeper.

Mr Thomson said: “Mr Shazaad then goes to the back of his counter and picks up a golf club and gestures towards the accused, who backs away.”

Police were called and were said to have found both Mr Shazaad and Mr McGeorge in “a state of distress” and both had “redness to their faces”.

Solicitor Rebecca Weissgerber said that her client had to be taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries following the incident but admitted his behaviour had been “unsatisfactory and unacceptable”.

She added that Perallos had spent 37 days in custody and was being treated for a number of mental health conditions.

Sheriff Adrian Fraser deferred sentence to next month for the preparation of background reports and a restriction of liberty order assessment to be carried out.

Perallos was released on bail with the conditions he does not enter The Little Superstore and does not approach or contact Mr Shazaad.

Perallos admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by repeatedly uttering threats of violence, uttering racially offensive remarks and fighting with Mr Shazaad and Mr McGeorge.