Jail for knife-wielding robber who was pelted with sweets by shop staff when he demanded cash

A knife-wielding robber was foiled in his bid to make off with cash from an Aberdeen shop when staff pelted him with tins of sweets.

Jay Jay Kirton was in possession of a large kitchen knife at the Nisa store on Hayton Road and demanded staff give him “all the money”, but ended up only making off with some cigarette papers – and a bottle of Irn Bru.

The court heard as Kirton made his escape, an employee who chased him outside the store was then threatened with the glass bottle of Irn Bru before a violent struggle took place.

Kirton was jailed for three years over the offences which took place on May 20 this year.

The 29-year-old pleaded guilty to  being in possession of a knife.

He also admitted assaulting and robbing a Nisa employee, by presenting a knife and demanding money, brandishing and throwing a bottle of juice at him before struggling violently with him and of robbing cigarette papers and a bottle of juice.

He also committed the crimes while on bail.

Staff threw tins of sweets at accused when he asked for ‘all the money’

Fiscal depute Christy Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court how Kirton staff spotted Kirton under the influence and lingering at the back of the shop in the early afternoon.

She said: “The complainer shouted at the accused and told him to get out.

“He then saw that the accused was in possession of a large kitchen knife and was told to him to give him all the money.

“A staff member then pressed the alarm under the counter and threw a tin of sweets, hitting the accused on the head and he ran out of the shop.”

A male employee then followed Kirton out of the store and threw another tin of sweets at him that saw Kirton turn around and brandish a bottle of Irn Bru before throwing it at the man – a violent struggle then took place.

Police arrived and arrested Kirton and took him to Kittybrewster Police Station.

The total value of stolen items was £50.

‘His mental health was deteriorating and he began to take substances’

Defence agent Gail Goodfellow told the court that Kirton had a history of substance misuse that had “resulted in a lengthy criminal record”.

She said her client had a number of previous convictions, which included a conviction for armed robbery of an Aberdeen city centre store in 2016.

Mrs Goodfellow also added that Kirton had mental health issues and had been off his medication at the time of the robbery.

She said: “Unfortunately there was a delay in him receiving his medication and during that time psychiatric consultations were at a minimum and only monthly by telephone.

“Consequently, he found it very difficult to cope and he wasn’t receiving the support he needed – his mental health was deteriorating and he began to take valium and other substances.”

Sheriff Morag McLaughlin told Kirton: “You accept your responsibility for these offences and you have done so at an early stage and avoided the need for these witnesses to have to give evidence.

“You have also accept that this offence took place very shortly after your release from prison on directly analogous matters and so the sentence will have to be a significant one.”

She sentenced Kirton, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, to three years in prison, backdated to May 24 this year.

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