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‘I slice people’: Man threatened to behead bookmaker after she finished work

Ian Gray also admitted telling a Scotmid shop worker that he would slash her face.

Ian Gray outside court. Image: DC Thomson
Ian Gray outside court. Image: DC Thomson

A prolific thief has avoided a prison sentence after telling a female bookmaker he would wait for her to finish her shift and “cut her head off”.

Ian Gray appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted to threatening workers after being ordered to leave a number of shops in Aberdeen.

The 41-year-old also warned a Scotmid worker he would “slash” her face if he saw her in the street.

Both women, and a male security at Union Square, were left shaken by Gray’s threats to harm them, the court heard.

Gray, who suffers from a longstanding drug problem, has numerous previous convictions for assault and robbery.

Ian Gray: ‘I’ll wait for you tonight’

Fiscal depute Georgia Laird told the court that at around 3.25pm on May 2 this year, Gray was spotted in the Scotmid store on Union Street by a staff member.

“The witness was aware that the accused was barred from the store and so asked him to leave,” she said.

“The accused then became annoyed and said to her: ‘See when I see you out on the street? I’m going to slash your face.’

“The woman was left shaken by this incident.”

On another occasion on May 30 this year, Gray entered Ladbrokes on Guild Street and was again asked to leave due to being banned from the premises.

Ms Laird said Gray then stated: “I’ll wait for you tonight. I have a blade. I’ll cut your head off. I slice people.”

The court also heard about an incident at Union Square shopping centre on June 5 this year where a security guard was asked to remove Gray from the complex.

As he did so, Gray shouted and swore at the guard, which left him “intimidated”, Ms Laird said.

Gray, of West North Street, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to three charges of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

Ian Gray leaving court in Aberdeen.
Ian Gray has a number of previous assault and robbery convictions. Image: DC Thomson.

His solicitor Stuart Beveridge told the court that his client had “deteriorated” during this period and had fallen back into heavy drug use.

“Mr Gray understands that with his record he can go straight back to prison,” Mr Beveridge said.

“He seemed to be doing well for a period of time and he wants to get his drug use under control.

“All his offending behaviour is linked to his substance abuse and mental health.”

Sheriff Nigel Cooke told Gray that he had been “seriously considering” imposing a custodial sentence.

“But having heard what’s been said on your behalf I’m prepared to impose a community order,” he said.

As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Cooke made Gray subject to a community payback order with supervision for two years.

“I have some hesitation in imposing this order due to your ability to cooperate – if you breach this order you will go to prison,” the sheriff warned Gray.

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