An Aberdeen man grabbed a city centre nightclubber and held a screwdriver to his throat while demanding money from his friends.
Paul Harper, 34, walked up behind a group of people as they made their way home from a nightclub.
Armed with a screwdriver, he then instigated a terrifying ordeal in the area of the city’s Mounthooly Way.
Harper repeatedly demanded the precise sum of £400 before grabbing one group member’s £1,000 iPhone and running off.
An hour later, he assaulted a shop worker at a 24-hour local corner shop, threatening: “I’m going to stab you”, Aberdeen Sherif Court heard.
‘Just give me £400’
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told the court that around 3am on March 18 last year, the group were walking home.
They reached the junction of Mounthooly Way and Kings Crescent, Aberdeen.
“At that time, the group was approached from behind by the accused, who grabbed the complainer around the body, placing his left arm around him,” Ms Simpson said.
“The accused held a screwdriver in his right hand and held that to the complainer’s neck, making repeated demands for money.
“He stated, ‘Give me £400. I need £400’. The complainer and his friend attempted to reason with the accused in an attempt to get him to release him.
“As the accused continued to ask for money, the complainer and his friends explained that they didn’t have any cash on them, other than a few pound coins.
“The accused let go of the complainer and walked away towards the other side of the road as he kept repeating, ‘Just given me £400’ or words to that effect.
“Again, the group advised the accused that they didn’t have any money.
“At that point, the accused made his way back towards the witnesses and snatched a £1,000 iPhone from one of the woman’s hands before running away in the direction of the graveyard.”
Accused carried out second assault
At 4am, Harper walked into L&M Stores Premier shop on Hutcheon Street, before walking up to the till and then bolting from the premises.
As he was followed out by the cashier, Harper turned, grabbed him and attempted to seize his body-worn camera.
While the cashier punched Harper to try to get him to let go, Harper shouted: “I’m going to stab you”.
Harper then broke free from a struggle and ran off towards George Street, leaving the cashier with two cuts on his face.
Appearing in the dock, Harper pled guilty to two charges of assault and attempted robbery and a third charge of robbery.
He also admitted a further charge of assault against a shop worker.
Defence solicitor Iain Hingston told the court that his client had “nothing in his previous record for the use of any weapon”.
He also called for reports on Harper’s background to be produced ahead of sentencing.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin deferred sentence on Harper, a prisoner at HMP Grampian, in order for a risk assessment to be carried out.
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