SHOCKING footage shows thugs racially abuse a shopkeeper before giving him a vicious beating in the street.
The disturbing incident was filmed at Ilhan Ahmedov’s newsagents in Musselburgh, East Lothian, in August last year when the thugs demanded alcohol and then the shopkeeper’s cash.
The pair are caught on CCTV telling the Bulgarian “this is our country” before a brawl breaks out which leaves the shopkeeper covered in blood and suffering fractures.
The 39-year-old released the footage today in protest at the fact one of the attackers escaped a jail sentence.
Craig Douglas, 24, was given 18 months in prison for assault in November last year.
Robert Cleland, 28, from Edinburgh, appeared in court earlier this week and escaped jail, getting a two year supervision order, 200 hours’ unpaid work and an order to pay his victim £2,000 compensation.
Ilhan, who has been in Scotland for two years, said he felt let down by the justice system.
Although the pair were not charged with any crime relating to racism, Douglas can be heard telling Ilhan and his wife, Aysel, 37: “Do you think white British are a minority whilst youse are majority?
“This is our country here. From Poland or Lithuania you come over here and make more money.”
Douglas, wearing a long-sleeved black adidas top and Cleland, wearing a blue top underneath a black bomber jacket, start scuffling with the shopkeeper, who pushes them out of the front door.
Shots taken from outside of the building show the three men falling to the ground.
Ilhan is then punched and kicked in the face as he tries to get up to get back inside.
The two men then push him against a postbox and take swings at him before shoving him off the pavement and onto the road out of view.
Ilhran’s wife Ansel brings out a long metal-looking pole and tries to help by threatening the two men with it but Douglas aggressively ushers her away from the brawling trio.
The men repeatedly go in and out of the shot as Ilhan is dragged around by the two attackers as they fight over the metal pole which Irhan manages to get from Ansel.
Ilhan manages to get closer to the door but the three of men end up brawling in the doorway as he tries to escape more punches.
The lads continue to lay into him on the pavement outside the door – eventually backing away when they hear police being called.
Both men were identified by police from the CCTV footage.
Ilhan suffered a broken nose and cheekbone as well as heavy brusing to his face.
Speaking today, Ilhan said: “They told me they wanted money before saying that I was ‘a minority’ and ‘this is our country’
“I am really disappointed that the second guy did not get jailed as this was a horrific attack on me and my business.
“They said they were drunk and could not remember but that is no excuse. They are awful.
“Nobody helped me on the main street during the fight they just walked on or drove past. The police took their time to respond. It was more than thirty minutes later they appeared.
“I feel a bit let down by the justice system. Everyday some criminal breaks into someone’s house and nobody thinks this could happen to them. t is a joke all the rules are going soft on these criminals.
Cleland and Douglas both pleaded guilty to assaulting Ilhan Ahmedov by pushing him on the body, seizing him by the neck, dragging him along the ground and repeatedly punching him to the head and body all to his severe injury.
