A thug with nearly 100 convictions has been jailed for attacking a shopkeeper with a baseball bat and threatening to kill her.
Joseph Bissett chased Luminita Serban into the Nisa Local at Heathryfold Circle, Aberdeen, and repeatedly smacked her with the bat.
The 42-year-old pulled clumps of her hair out, slammed her head against the fridge and threatened to kill her.
Weeks earlier, Bissett attacked Christopher Kenn, 44, who was described in court as having “the mind of a 14-year-old”, with a metal pole and stole cash from his wallet.
At the High Court in Glasgow yesterday, judge Lord Arthurson jailed him for six years and said his offences were “deplorable”.
He added: “The court must sentence you for the considerable and concerning escalation in the nature and gravity of your offending.”
Father-of-six Bissett, from Aberdeen, admitted two charges of assault and robbery, as well as behaving in a threatening or abusive manner at Premier Stores on Marchburn Drive on October 25 last year.
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The attack on Miss Serban happened on October 25 while she was working at Nisa.
The court heard Bissett – who has 95 previous convictions – came to the door and asked her: “Do you want me to give what I stole back?”
He then took a blue baseball bat from his sleeve, pushed her into the shop and as she ran away he repeatedly struck her on the head and body.
Advocate depute Erin Campbell said: “Bissett pushed Miss Serban to the rear of the shop, pushed her head against one of the fridges, repeatedly pulled her hair, pulling clumps of it out, repeatedly punched her on the head and repeatedly slammed her head against the fridge.
“Throughout this he repeatedly shouted he was going to kill her and she believed him and thought she was going to die.”
Bissett punched Miss Serban on the head and went behind the counter to steal cartons of cigarettes, worth £547 – giving her time to flee from the shop, screaming for help.
Miss Campbell said she was taken to hospital with high blood pressure, and with cuts to her head, bruising and clumps of hair missing.
The court heard that the month earlier, on September 21, Bissett had gone to the same shop and forced Mr Kenn – who has learning difficulties – to pay for his cider.
He told Mr Kenn he was going to go back to his house to drink it and as he followed him to a lane near Howes Drive, said words to the effect of “I’m getting sick of you” or “I’m going to get you”.
Miss Campbell added: “As they approached the lane, Bissett punched Mr Kenn on the back of his head knocking him down, after which Bissett picked up a small metal pole which was lying nearby, stood over Mr Kenn and demanded his wallet.”
He ran off with £70, and Mr Kenn managed to get home to his family who contacted the police.
Defence counsel David Moggach said Bissett will be “utterly ashamed” of his offences, and at the time was suffering from mental health issues.