A man has been jailed after threatening to stab staff at an Aberdeen supermarket.
Jamie Robb, 34, appeared via video link from prison after being put on remand in March following the incident within the Lidl store on the Lang Stracht earlier this year.
Robb had been shopping in the store at lunchtime on March 23 when security staff noticed he was “acting strangely”, the court heard.
Fiscal depute Kirsty Martin said the guard spoke to Robb and thought he “smelled strongly of alcohol” and asked if he was drunk.
Asked to leave Aberdeen supermarket
Robb replied to say he was, so the security guard asked him to leave the shop.
Ms Martin continued: “The accused then threw items, which he had been carrying, onto the ground.
“He stated that he was in possession of a knife and uttered threats to stab the complainer.
“The complainer and a colleague escorted the accused out of the locus.
“The accused became very aggressive towards the complainer and his colleague and struggled with them as they tried to remove him from the premises. He was restrained and the police were contacted.”
Carrying a weapon
The court heard that police arrived a short while later and after searching Robb, found he was carrying a screwdriver.
“He was taken to Kittybrewster custody suite,” Ms Martin said: “At the charge bar, the accused became aggressive and spat in the direction of a constable, narrowly missing his face. The accused was restrained and taken to a cell.”
Robb pled guilty to one charge of threatening behaviour and another of assaulting a police officer.
His defence agent Debbie Ginniver said her client had shown “significant remorse” and had written a letter of apology to the shop staff, adding: “Alcohol was the major factor.
“Since being placed on remand he had engaged with Alcoholics Anonymous.
“Prior to that he was in full-time employment and if given a community order, the job remains available to him.”
Wants to change
Ms Ginniver spoke to Robb’s previous convictions and said: “He is sick of this revolving door and wants to make positive changes.”
Sheriff Ian Wallace said Robb’s background report made mention of him having the screwdriver on him because he was going to fix something.
The sheriff commented: “That seems unlikely. He previously threatened shop workers with a screwdriver and got nine months for that.”
Ms Ginniver again said her client had “shown remorse”, but Sheriff Wallace replied: “Yet here we are again, offending shop workers with a screwdriver.
“I am satisfied a custodial sentence is appropriate to these matters.
“You have a very bad record. Here you are, another offence carried out this year against shop workers, making threats towards him whilst in possession of a screwdriver.”
Robb was sentenced to a total of 14 months in jail and will be placed under supervision upon his release for 12 months.
Sheriff Wallace said this would “address your issues with offending”, and added: “You have to show you are serious that you want to stop offending.”
