A WOMAN was targeted for racist abuse and told to “go back to your own country” in the toilets of a Dunfermline bar.

The drunk culprit, Ashleigh McQueen, then became involved in a fight with the victim’s friend.

McQueen, 30, of Pittencrieff Street, Dunfermline, has been fined for the incident.

She appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and admitted that on March 2, at the Old Inn, Kirkgate, she acted in a racially-aggravated manner to a woman, by making racially abusive remarks.

She also admitted that in Kirkgate she then engaged in a fight with Kristiane Jones.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the woman targeted for the racist abuse had moved to the UK from Zimbabwe in 2005.

She was having a night out in Dunfermline with a female friend, Ms Jones. The two of them had gone into the toilets of the Old Inn pub at round 10.45pm when McQueen also went there.

The victim of the abuse was looking in a mirror and attending to her hair when McQueen said to her: “Ooh black”.

The woman ignored McQueen who then went into a cubicle. When she came back out after shouting: "Bla, bla, bla” when the two friends spoke to each other, the victim asked her what the problem was.

“You’re my problem. Go back to your own country,” said McQueen. When this was ignored, she repeatedly made the same comment.

McQueen and her friends were asked to leave after the bar manager was informed of what had happened.

Later, when the two women went outside for a cigarette, McQueen was still in the area and a fight broke out between her and Ms Jones.

Defence solicitor Roshni Joshi said her client was a first offender and works in the financial sector.

“She is extremely embarrassed to find herself in court for the first time at the age of 30. She had gone out with friends and there had been excessive consumption of alcohol on the night in question,” she added.

“She has a very limited memory of events.”

Sheriff Pino di Emidio told McQueen her behaviour was “unacceptable” and imposed a £500 fine.