A man dodged a prison sentence for his role in a bid to steal $10,000 from a father and son on Christmas Eve in Aberdeen.
John Townsley watched as the family exchanged a large sum of money into dollars at Ramsdens on Union Street before following them out of the business and alerting an accomplice.
The 39-year-old then met his accomplice and directed him towards the man and his son.
Fortunately, despite a dramatic struggle over the bag of money in which the man was injured, bystanders intervened and the attacker fled empty-handed.
Fiscal depute Brooklyn Shaw told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 4pm on Christmas Eve 2022.
She said: “The complainer and his son arrived at Ramsdens where they exchanged money to dollars to the value of $10,000, which he placed in a bum bag.
‘Narration almost cries out for a custodial sentence, doesn’t it?’
“They made their way back to their car where the other party on the charge approached and demanded the money.”
The male warned: “Give me the money. I know you’ve got money.”
He grabbed at the bum bag and the complainer’s jacket pocket until members of the public “disrupted” the robbery bid and he fled empty-handed.
The matter was reported to the police who, on checking CCTV, saw Townsley in Ramsdens at the same time as the complainer while on the phone.
He was then seen to follow the family out of the shop before meeting with his accomplice on a bike, who then continued following them.
Townsley was arrested and interviewed, during which he denied all knowledge of the incident.
In court, Townsley, of Garthdee Terrace, Aberdeen, pled guilty to a charge of assault to injury and attempted robbery while acting along with another person.
Sheriff ‘convinced’ not to send him to prison
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison said: “Notwithstanding the conclusion of the social work report, that narration almost cries out for a custodial sentence, doesn’t it?”
Defence agent Gregor Kelly agreed but argued for a community sentence to be imposed instead.
He said his client’s role in the offence could be described as being the “facilitator”.
Mr Kelly said Townsley had adhered to “extremely onerous” bail curfew conditions since February and was the principal carer for his bed-bound son.
He described Townsley as a “highly skilled HGV driver” and provided a letter from an employer who “thinks highly of him”.
Sheriff Grant-Hutchison said: “You have convinced me, with some reluctance I must say, to impose a community payback order.”
He ordered Townsley to be supervised for 18 months and complete 150 hours of unpaid work as a direct alternative to prison.
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