A north-east teenager was left “hysterical” as she was threatened with a meat cleaver and had a “clump” of hair pulled out during a drug debt-fuelled home invasion.
With his face covered and dressed in dark clothing, Grazvydas Gudavicius crept into the Turriff house where the 18-year-old was staying at around 2.30am on February 13.
The youngster was in the house alone while her uncle drove some friends home.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard one of these friends had become a target of crime bosses who tasked Gudavicius and three others – whose identities are still unknown – with “intimidating” her into paying off some debts.
And yesterday Gudavicius, 21, was jailed for 32 months for his involvement in the “terrifying” incident which took place less than a fortnight after he was released early from a previous prison sentence.
Fiscal depute Colin Neilson said two of the men accused the woman of “hiding” their target, but said she was too scared to say anything and instead tried to call her uncle.
They dragged her out of bed, then by the hair into the bathroom and struck her on the ribs twice.
Mr Neilson said: “The complainer could also hear smashing noises coming from elsewhere in the house and a further two male voices.
“She screamed loudly and Gudavicius shouted: ‘Let’s leave it, let’s go’.
“After the males left, she locked the door. She was scared and hysterical.”
The woman’s uncle returned home at around 3am and found smashed glass, a broken TV and damage to “most rooms”.
Four ornamental samurai swords, a replica BB gun, various bank cards, a purse and around £320 in cash had been stolen from the property.
Gudavicius was arrested the next day after being caught on CCTV.
Yesterday he admitted assaulting the woman and stealing the various items.
Despite this, solicitor Leonard Birkenshaw said his client had not been “physically involved” with the woman, and had been coerced into accompanying the others.
He said: “He was in the same position as the person they were looking for – he had a long-standing problem with drugs and was given little choice in co-operating.
“He had been in contact with this lady before and said she should sort something out because he knew what they were like and she shouldn’t mess them about.”
Sheriff Graeme Napier told Gudavicius, who has a “significant” criminal record and is currently in HMP Inverness: “You subjected the entirely innocent complainer to a terrifying experience.
“You went there with others in order to carry out this concerted attack which must have been absolutely terrifying for your poor victim.”
Once he is released, Gudavicius will be under the supervision of social workers for 12 months to reduce his risk of reoffending.
