A police officer was told by a sheriff that he made "appalling" and "disgraceful" remarks towards Catholics.

Kyle Cruickshank, 32, embarked on a five year campaign of racist and sectarian abuse towards colleagues while working from Glasgow's Maryhill Police Office.

Cruickshank called a constable of Asian descent a "curry muncher" and referred to Catholics as "fenian b******s."

He was known to ask for colleague's surnames to see if they were Catholic sounding.

Glasgow Times:

Cruickshank further stated that Catholic potential victims of crime would "get the jail."

The dad-of-one also made misogynistic remarks about female colleagues which led to an investigation.

Cruickshank pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to a charge of pursuing a racially aggravated course of conduct towards an officer.

He further admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner which was aggravated by religious prejudice.

Cruickshank - who has since left Police Scotland after six years service - also pleaded guilty to assaulting a female officer.

The charges span between March 2017 and April 2022.

Sheriff Diana McConnell ordered Cruickshank to do 225 hours of unpaid work at sentencing and placed him under supervision for 18 months.

He was also tagged for 60 days keeping him indoors between 8pm and 5am.

The sheriff told Cruickshank that the community payback order is a "direct alternative" to a custodial sentence.

She said: "You used appalling, sectarian language and said you hated Catholics and made disgraceful sectarian remarks which you made in general conversation and not directed towards anyone.

"All the conduct took place while you were a serving police officer which is a significant aggravating factor.

"Your conduct was a gross breach of trust placed on you by Police Scotland and the general public.

"It is of extreme concern that your conduct took place over five years and caused alarm and distress to colleagues."

The court heard that Cruickshank made the curry muncher remark towards colleague Safdar Sadiq when he would take food into the office.

Cruickshank also referred to Mr Sadiq and Jewish colleague Barnaby Rose in an abusive statement.

Prosecutor Louise James said: "The comment was about throwing cash on the floor and seeing who would pick it up between them."

The pair would also avoiding coming into the police office at certain times to avoid Cruickshank who referred to both as "the tightest car crew."

The hearing was told Cruickshank made derogatory comments about Mr Rose's religion.

Cruickshank was heard to state: "Did he not want to be a jeweller?"

Cruickshank made similar offensive remarks towards Catholics.

Miss James said: "He would ask [other officers] for their surnames to see if they had a Catholic surname.

"He would use phrases such as fenian b******s.

"He would listen to calls coming through and listen to the name of the complainer.

"If their name sounded Catholic, Cruickshank would say 'they would get the jail'."

Cruickshank also claimed he missed the "local boozer for some casual racism."

Cruickshank discovered on the police systems that an officer named Martin O'Neill was to join.

He said: "He better not be on of the fenians."

Miss James added: "Cruickshank also made comments such as 'I hate Catholics', 'dirty fenian b******s' and 'the Pope is a paedophile'."

Cruickshank also made sexual and misogynistic comments about female colleagues.

He was heard to say: "I would walk over broken glass to hear her fart through a walkie-talkie."

Cruickshank also sated that women "belong in the kitchen" and referred to some female officers as "wee dirties."

Officer Rachel Kerr was sprayed on the face with hand sanitizer by Cruickshank while in the police reporting and writing room.

Matters were investigated after she reported the circumstances to her supervisor.

Thomas McMurtrie, defending, told the court that his client respected the officers and held them in high regard.

The lawyer said: "The process has made him aware of the impact this has had.

"This has ashamed him for what he did - he has explained that he is disgusted and sick.

"He was completely ignorant to the impact his conduct had on those working around him and he accepts that the language and conduct was not appropriate."