A knife-wielding thug has apologised for trying to rob a newsagents in a raid.
Muja Hid Ali was working alone in News and Chews on Bridge Street, Aberdeen, when walked in shortly after 11pm on November 2 last year.
In a chilling threat, Whyte told Mr Ali: “I’ll hurt you if you don’t give me cash. I’ll kill you.”
The 21-year-old was then distracted by a noise outside and fled the store.
The shop assistant gave chase and with the help of a bouncer from the Underground Klub next door managed to restrain him.
Whyte has now appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court to face sentencing for the attempted robbery and was jailed for nearly two-and-a-half years.
And the court was told Whyte was “genuinely remorseful” for the attempted robbery last November and he even wrote a letter apologising for the crime.
Defence lawyer Gail Goodfellow said Whyte was from a “good family” but was struggling with his mental health.
She said the separation of his parents had an “impact” on him as a teenager.
Ms Goodfellow said: “He left school at the age of 16 and secured a job as an engineer but later suffered from depression.
“In the last two years he became involved in taking alcohol and drugs and described that period of his life marked by mayhem and destructive behaviour.”
Ms Goodfellow said Whyte had not used drugs since November and was “genuinely remorseful” for his actions.
She said he provided the court with a letter apologising and that his father had offered him employment as long as he stayed free from drugs.
During the court case fiscal depute Christy Ward said Mr Ali had been working alone and was serving customers when Whyte walked in.
She said the shop worker asked if he needed any help only for Whyte to reply he was just looking.
Ms Ward added: “Once those customers left the accused approached the counter and said ‘I’ll hurt you if you don’t give me cash. I’ll kill you.’
“He produced a black-handled knife from his waistband and Mr Ali asked the accused to calm down.
“The accused was startled by a noise outside and ran off with the complainer giving chase.
“A door steward came to help Mr Ali and they managed to restrain the accused. He told him ‘Yes, I robbed the shop. I’m guilty.’”
Ms Ward said police recovered the knife from Whyte’s tracksuit bottoms and that the entire incident had been captured on CCTV.
Sheriff Philip Mann said the offence was a “serious matter” and made worse by the use of a blade.
He said: “Attempting to rob, this is to be regarded as a serious matter and this was aggravated by the fact that you had a knife and made threats to him.
“You are still a young man and I do take your relative youth into account with sentencing.”
Sheriff Mann jailed Whyte of HMP Grampian, Peterhead, for two years for attempted robbery and being in possession of a knife without reasonable excuse or lawful authority.
He was also given four months for failing to attend to court on January 31 and he forfeited the knife to the Crown.
Mr Ali, who moved back to London for family reasons recently, said he was “happy” that Whyte was now behind bars.The 28-year-old said: “It is really good and I am happy. Everyone should be safe and these things shouldn’t be happening, that is for sure.
“It was a really busy night and when I shouted the bouncers helped me out.
“He did something bad and he should have some lessons and everybody should be safe.
“Everyone helped me out, especially the law enforcement. I called them and they were there within a minute.
“If you are in trouble you will be brave because you want to save yourself and that is what I tried to do.
“It was a bad experience in my life. I’ve moved on now.”
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
