A masked raider who broke into a supermarket with an axe before making off with nearly £5,000 in alcohol and tobacco has avoided going to jail due to a brain tumour diagnosis.
Christopher Smith, 32, and another man used an axe to smash their way through the doors of the Co-op in Alford while wearing balaclavas and white gloves taped around their wrists.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Smith and the other man cleared the shelves of thousands of pounds worth of alcohol and tobacco before speeding off in a silver Volkswagen Golf.
Smith and his accomplice also caused more than £1,500 damage to the store.
Fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar told the court that Smith and the other man were seen on the store’s CCTV at 1.15am on September 19 as they exited their vehicle.
“The accused then used a two-handed splitting axe to strike the external glass doors, causing them to break and they thereafter enter the supermarket,” Ms MacVicar said.
“He then hands the axe to the other male who then uses the axe to break through a further internal glass door to gain access to the market floor.
“The accused is then seen bleeding from his hand.
“The accused then made his way to the alcohol aisle and begins filling bags up with bottles of alcohol – making several trips back and forth to the car where he loaded the alcohol.
“He was also seen to smash bottles of alcohol on the floor.”
The robbers are then seen to speed away from the store.
When staff turned up at the store after receiving an alert that the store alarm was going off they noticed a large quantity of tobacco had been stolen.
In total, the men made off with alcohol and tobacco worth £4,861 and caused £1,554 damage to the shop.
Smith pleaded guilty to one charge of breaking into the Co-op and stealing alcohol and tobacco.
He was also on bail at the time of the crime.
In 2015, Smith served a nine months sentence for raiding Dufftown Golf Club whilst high on drink and drugs.
Accused has brain tumour diagnosis
Defence agent Neil McRobert told the court that Smith had a long record of previous convictions and had been on remand since October 1 last year.
He also said that his client had received a brain tumour diagnosis and was also due to have major surgery.
Mr McRobert said: “A letter from his consultant states that being in prison would be detrimental to his recovery.
“In relation to the offence, it was committed because he has drug issues and his desire for that.
“He accepts responsibility for the offence before the court and he knows that this is serious.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Smith that “this was a serious offence of dishonesty”.
He added: “I’m told this was committed to help you fund your drug use and you also have a significant record from crimes of dishonesty.
“In normal circumstances, a significant prison sentence would be imposed, however, you have a serious health condition and an upcoming surgery.
“With that in mind, I’m not going to sentence you to a significant period of custody today.”
Sheriff Miller sentenced Smith, of Church Street, Dufftown, Keith, to community payback with 12 months of supervision and a conduct requirement that he get help for his drink and drug issues.
He was also given a four-month restriction of liberty order.
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