A drunken woman robbed an Aberdeen newsagent – and assaulted the assistant – after he refused to sell her more alcohol.
Kirsten Murison already had two open cans of beer with her when she walked into Sunny’s on Urquhart Road and asked for more alcohol.
However, when the shop assistant did not want to sell her more booze because of her state, she marched behind the counter, pushed him and helped herself to several bottles.
The 37-year-old then left, but immediately returned, deciding she wanted yet another bottle of vodka, and again pushed the shop assistant over.
Fiscal depute David Rogers told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 10.20am on December 30 2022.
Murison walked into the store, which is now a Londis, with two open cans of beer and brought several food items up to the till area.
The shop assistant began to scan her items and Murison then asked him for alcohol from behind the counter.
Due to her intoxication, the shop assistant refused.
‘I’ll admit it. I robbed that shop’
Dissatisfied with this response, Murison walked into the staff area behind the till and picked up a bottle of vodka.
The shop assistant took the bottle from Murison and she pushed him, causing him to fall backwards.
Mr Rogers told the court: “The accused then took another bottle of vodka from the shelf before stepping out of the staff area and leaving.
“The complainer contacted the police and whilst on the phone the accused re-entered the locus and pushed the complainer out of the way causing him to fall to the floor.
“The accused then grabbed a bottle of vodka from the shelf and left.”
The shop assistant locked the door and waited for the police to arrive.
When they did, CCTV checks were carried out and Murison was traced, cautioned and arrested.
While being taken into custody, she told the officers: “I’ll admit it. I robbed that shop.”
Murison, of Seamount Court, Aberdeen, pled guilty to assault and robbery.
‘When they wouldn’t sell it to her she took it’
Defence agent Kevin Longino submitted the incident was “at the lower end of the scale of such offences”.
He said: “The violence is pushing the complainer but it doesn’t go beyond that.
“The background here, which will come as no surprise, is we’re dealing with a woman who had developed a significant alcohol dependency.
“Her offending is either to obtain alcohol or while under the influence of alcohol.”
Mr Longino went on: “It appears from the narration that, had she been allowed to buy it she would have purchased it.
“But when they wouldn’t sell it to her she took it.”
Sheriff Philip Mann ordered Murison to be jailed for nine months.
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