Three young men who attacked a Muslim takeaway owner hours after the terrorist attacks on Paris have avoided jail.

Robbie Smart, Connor Crombie and Darren Macduff admitted their part in a "fracas" outside the Caspian takeaway in Methil just 24 hours after the Paris atrocities in November 2015 in which 130 people were killed.

The trio, along with four other men, had been accused of "shouting racially offensive comments" towards Caspian owner Mohammed Khalid during the incident.

However, all seven had their not guilty pleas to behaving in a racially aggravated manner accepted after the Crown deemed there was "not a sufficiency" of evidence to try them.

Speaking at the time, Mr Khalid said some of the men who had attacked him were "shouting about Isis" - but added: "Paris was not done in our name, everyone here knows that and understands that."

CCTV footage viewed at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court showed a large-scale disturbance outside the shop, which began when employee Mohammed Nadeem, 35, tried to pull down the shutters at closing time.

More than a dozen men appeared to be involved in the incident - one of whom kicked Mr Khalid full force in the face, badly injuring him.

However, most of the attackers have never faced court over what a sheriff described as a "fracas".

Mr Nadeem was kicked by Robbie Smart after picking up a stick in a bid to ward off the attackers. But the court heard this sparked more "chaos". Mr Khalid then emerged from the shop in a bid to calm the situation.

However, he was set upon by several men while his wife attempted to protect him.

At one point Crombie launched a flurry of punches at Mr Khalid's head before Macduff threw away his food and ran over to punch Mr Khalid on the body.

CCTV then shows Mr Khalid being thrown to the ground before an unidentified man runs up and kicks him full force in the face.

Smart, 18, of Denfield Place, Kirkcaldy, admitted kicking Mr Nadeem on the body to his injury, while Macduff, 18, of Craigmount, Kirkcaldy, admitted punching Mr Khalid on the body.

Crombie, 19, of Fosterton Crescent, Kirkcaldy, pleaded guilty to kicking Mr Nadeem on the body and repeatedly punching Mr Khalid, 53, on his head in Wellsley Road, Methil, Fife, on November 15, 2015.

The Paris attacks on November 13 and 14 saw a total of 130 people killed at the Bataclan theatre, the Stade de France and on the streets of the French capital. Seven terrorists also died.

Kyle Campbell, 19, of Sidlaw Street, Kirkcaldy, Brandon Munro, 18, of Farne Court, Kirkcaldy, Sean Wood, 20, of Hugo Avenue, Coaltown of Wemyss, and a 17-year-old, also of Kirkcaldy, who cannot be named, had their not guilty pleas accepted to all charges.

Sheriff James Williamson imposed community payback orders on all three men.

They will each have to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work in the next nine months.

Speaking after he and Mr Nadeem were attacked, Mr Khalid said: "Like everyone else in the world, we are shocked about what happened in Paris.

"We are heartbroken for the families who have lost someone.

"If a Muslim kills another man, then they have killed all mankind. That is what our religion teaches us. All true Muslims believe this."