A woman who spat on a Greggs worker and told her to go “back to her own country” has been told she should consider herself fortunate she’s not being jailed.
Ann-Marie Cran, also known as Plummer, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where she admitted racially abusing the woman at Greggs on Union Street in Aberdeen.
The 49-year-old – who has a long record of previous convictions – then spat at the woman several times, making contact with her face.
Sheriff Rory Bannerman described Cran’s actions as disgusting and told her she had “come as close as you can get to custody”.
Cran spat in woman’s face
Fiscal depute Rebecca Coakley told the court that at around 4.35pm on May 15 2024, a staff member at the bakery was approached by Cran.
She immediately began acting in an aggressive manner, telling the worker to “go be to your own country”.
“The accused proceeded to act in an aggressive manner and spat at the woman three times, making contact with her face,” the fiscal depute said.
She added that Can then left the store and the police were contacted.
In the dock, Cran pleaded guilty to one charge of acting in a threatening or abusive manner towards a retail worker by uttering racially abusive remarks and spitting repeatedly at her.
‘Absolutely jailable’
Defence solicitor Tony Burgess told the court that his client had uttered “unfortunate words” while under the influence.
“She had relapsed back into alcohol abuse,” he said.
“Ms Cran realises this was a disgusting thing to have done and, not by way of an excuse, but she was heavily under the influence at the time – she apologises profusely.”
Sheriff Bannerman told Cran that her solicitor was “absolutely correct” and that “disgusting” was the only word to describe her actions.
“This is the type of conduct that is absolutely jailable,” he said, adding: “This is as close as you can get to custody.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Bannerman made Cran, of Sterling Street, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with 18 months of supervision and ordered her to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
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