A violent robber who repeatedly hit a vulnerable man with his own walking stick has been sent back to prison.
Steven Ross and another man assaulted and robbed the victim as he left his home at Hutcheon Court, Aberdeen, with a friend to walk her dog.
The pair had initially asked for cigarettes but when the man said he didn’t have any, Ross, 48, turned nasty and struck his face.
He then grabbed the man’s walking stick, which aids his mobility issues, and savagely beat him with it – hitting his head and body.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court also heard that, before the incident, Ross and another man – 36-year-old Daniel Bertram – acted together to attack and rob someone else.
That victim was generously handing over some spare change that the pair had requested at the time of the offence.
‘Steven Ross struck the complainer on the head and body and kicked him three times to the head’
Ross, who had been granted early release from prison, has since been sent back to serve the remainder of a previous sentence and additional jail time.
Fiscal depute David Ballock told the court the incident happened around midnight on February 16 of this year.
He said: “As they exited the main communal door of the block of flats, the accused Steven Ross and another male continuously asked them for cigarettes and a lighter.
“They advised them that they did not have any.
“The complainer was struck on the right side of his face by Ross who also took possession of his walking stick, and the other male forced him to the ground by grappling with him and performing a leg sweep.
“Ross struck the complainer on the head and body with the walking stick several times and kicked him three times to the head.”
Chain worth £120 ripped from victim’s neck
He continued to kick and strike the man before grabbing a chain from around his neck and ripping it off him.
Ross also removed the man’s wallet and house keys from his pocket before leaving, taking his haul – including the walking stick – with him.
The stolen chain was valued at around £120.
Ross’ victim was left with injuries to his face and body as a result of the attack but declined to receive medical treatment.
Ross, a prisoner at HMP Inverness, pled guilty to charges of assault to injury and robbery.
He also admitted, along with a co-accused, a similar charge for a separate incident on February 15 on Union Street in Aberdeen.
Both Daniel Bertram, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, and Ross admitted assaulting and robbing the kindly stranger who agreed to give them spare change.
Bertram’s charge also included causing injury to the man.
Mr Ballock told the court the complainer in that incident had been on a night out in Aberdeen when he was approached by Ross and Bertram outside McDonald’s on Aberdeen’s Union Street around 11.30pm.
The pair asked their target if he had any spare change and, feeling charitable, the man took out his wallet and presented a couple of pound coins.
However, as he did this, Ross was heard to say: “Oh, you’ve a few more coins in there”.
Victim was hurt for only £100
Then he tried to grab the wallet from the man and a brief struggle took place, with Ross demanding “Let me see it” and “Let me hold it”.
Bertram then removed the man’s hat and punched his head.
Eventually, the man let go of his wallet and Ross and Bertram walked away.
Their victim began to follow the thieves and asked if he could at least have his wallet back.
Ross then returned his wallet, minus the £100 or so that had been inside.
The incident was later reported to police and the two accused were traced and arrested.
Their victim suffered minor superficial injuries as a result of Bertram’s punch.
Ross’s defence solicitor Caitlin Pirie told the court her client has a “lengthy history of drug and alcohol misuse” and “suffers from poor mental health”.
She said: “At the time of these offences, he was suffering from depression and his addiction issues led to this behaviour.
“He knows that there is absolutely no excuse for his behaviour but this was not planned.
“Although he did not strike the complainer, he accepts the two men were working together on that.
“Mr Ross accepts responsibility and he has described feeling horrible and disgusted with his behaviour.”
‘Nasty offence given vulnerability of victim’
Sheriff Graham Buchanan described the assault on the man with his own walking stick as a “particularly nasty offence given the vulnerability of the victim”.
He said: “These are serious offences and each is one of assault and robbery. You have a lengthy record of previous convictions, some of which include violence”.
Sheriff Buchanan sentenced Ross to be returned to prison for 176 days to serve the unexpired portion of his previous sentence.
For his most recent offences, he was also jailed for an additional two years and seven months.
Ross’s co-accused, Daniel Bertram, will be sentenced at a later date.
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