A serial beer thief has been jailed after he struck a shop worker on the head with a can of lager in an attempt to get his hands on more alcohol.
Lee Munro, 24, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted threatening and assaulting shopkeepers at stores across the Granite City.
His solicitor, Lynn Bentley, told the court that Munro wanted to go back to prison as it offered him more safety and structure to his life than the outside world.
Fiscal depute Jane Spark told the court that at around 5pm on June 22 2024, Munro entered C10 Convenience Store on School Road, Aberdeen, where he picked up two four packs of lager and tried to run out of the shop.
The shop worker managed to beat him to the door where he stopped Munro and asked him to return the items.
Munro then punched the man to the side of the head while holding a can of lager in his fist.
This caused the shop worker to stumble backwards and the accused continued to push him out of the shop.
As Munro’s victim went to get help, the thief took a bottle of whisky off the shelf in addition to the cans of lager.
The total value stolen was £28.58 and police identified Munro via CCTV.
CCTV identified shop raider
At around 2.15pm on August 18 this year, Munro was seen attempting to leave Nisa on Back Hilton Road with items in a basket.
As he was stopped by a member of staff, items fell from the basket and as the staff member went to pick them up, Munro threw a punch which he had to duck to avoid.
Munro then loudly began demanding whisky.
As the complainer handed over the dropped bottle, Munro reached across the counter and took a bottle of alcohol and a sandwich and left.
The items he took cost £36.07 and he was again identified on CCTV.
At 7.25pm the same day, Munro turned to a member of the public and stated “watch this” before trying to run out of Premier Stores on Hilton Road with a 12-pack of Tennents lager under his arm.
As he was challenged by the shopkeeper, Munro picked up a can of lager and drew his hand back.
Believing he was going to hit him with the can, the shopkeeper grabbed Munro’s arm and a struggle ensued with both ending up on the floor.
The shop worker managed to push Munro out of the shop and bring down the shutter, leaving Munro outside shouting: “Let me in, I want them beers.”
In the dock, Munro pleaded guilty to two counts of assault and robbery and one charge of assault.
‘Very sad case’
Defence lawyer Lynn Bentley told the court that her client has been in and out of prison and struggles to “cope with life on the outside”.
“Mr Munro is a young man who has been under the care of the local authority for some time,” she said.
“He told my colleague that he wants a prison sentence as he has no support system on the outside as he has nowhere to live.
“He has said he feels safe in the prison as his life is organised in there.”
Sheriff Philip Mann described Munro’s situation as a “very sad case”.
“It quite distressing actually to think that a young man of your age feels he has nothing in life other than being in prison,” the sheriff said.
“You need to accept the help and support that is offered to you.
“It doesn’t give me any pleasure to sit here in judgment of you here today.”
Sheriff Man sentenced Munro, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, to 23 months in prison.
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