A thief who tried to stroll out of Marks and Spencer with two bottles of vodka at 9.20am racially abused staff as he left.
Robert Merchant insisted he wasn’t racist – despite using the offensive term “c**n” towards an employee at the St Nicholas Street store.
The 54-year-old, who concealed one of the bottles under his jacket, then tried to mitigate matters by telling the police he “gave one back”.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened on the morning of August 28.
He said: “The accused entered Marks and Spencer and took two bottles of vodka priced at £19 each.
“He concealed one in his jacket and held the other in his hand.”
Merchant then tried to walk out of the shop without paying, but was challenged by staff, to which he “took umbrage”.
He shouted, swore and branded the employee a “c**n”.
One of the bottles was recovered, but Merchant managed to leave with the second one.
‘No real support mechanism in place’
He was later traced and arrested and, in reply to caution and charge, said: “I gave one back. I’m not a racist.”
Merchant, of Holburn Street, Aberdeen, pled guilty to shoplifting and a racially aggravated charge of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
Defence agent Neil McRobert said his client had been released from prison prior to the incident with “no real support mechanism in place”.
The solicitor explained the “cycle” would previously result in Merchant reverting to drug misuse, but that this time be turned to drink following two family bereavements.
He said: “He dealt with that by consuming alcohol.
“Alcohol is not really something he’s touched since his teenage years.”
Mr McRobert said the shoplifting offence was “foolish” but that the threatening or abusive behaviour offence was “completely unacceptable”.
Sheriff Ian Wallace imposed a 100-day prison term in relation to an unexpired portion of a previous sentence, and a year’s supervision over the new offences.
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