A man who pulled a knife and demanded money from two women before making his getaway on a BMX has been spared jail.
Jack Ogilvy, 20, called at one of his victim’s homes and demanded payment of debts from the two women, who insisted they owed him nothing.
When they managed to force him from the property and call the police, he made his escape on a black BMX bike.
Ogilvy, of Kinloss Caravan Park, appeared for sentencing at Inverness Sheriff Court having previously pled guilty to two counts of assault and one of possessing a knife in a public place.
The incident, on May 25 of last year, began when the complainer heard a knock at the door of her Forres home just after 8pm.
Fiscal depute Pauline Gair told the court that the householder opened the door and saw Ogilvy.
‘Where’s my money?’
“He immediately started shouting ‘Where’s my money? I want my money!’” Mrs Gair said.
When the woman said she owed him nothing he produced a knife from his pocket while still shouting about what he was owed.
Soon after this a second woman, who was visiting the first, arrived at the address, at which point Ogilvy began demanding cash from her saying: “Where the f**k is my money? The £15 from like, two years ago?”
He told the other woman she owed him £20.
The incident ended when one complainer dialled 999 on her mobile, turning the phone to speaker so Ogilvy was aware of the call.
The occupants of the property then pushed him back and closed the front door, after which they spotted him riding past on a small, black, BMX-type bike.
Ogilvy’s solicitor Robert Cruickshank told the court that his client, a first offender, “has expressed remorse in relation to these offences,” adding “there had clearly been substance issues in the past”.
He said: “He has made a concerted effort to address his issues – it is to Mr Ogilvy’s great credit that he hasn’t waited for some imposition by the court he has sought to address the issues himself.
“He has a supportive family. There is a very keen interest from both father and mother to provide support for him.”
He also pointed out that his client had been subject to, and was complying with, a curfew for 18 months while the case was ongoing.
Weapons lead to ‘catastrophic outcomes’
Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald said: “These are serious offences – people are sent to jail for behaving in this way. Possession of any type of weapon very often leads to catastrophic outcomes.
“You are a young man, you have a lot of growing up to do, your parents are obviously concerned about you and they will be wild with worry.”
The sheriff concluded: “You can go back to how you behaved, or you can move forward, your choice.”
As an alternative to a custodial sentence, she placed Ogilvy on a community payback order with three years’ supervision.
