A lout threatened to stick a dagger in the neck of a shop worker less than 24 hours after being released from custody.
Dale Davidson had been acquitted on a separate matter on Friday afternoon last week, but the very next day went into Dunelm on the Beach Boulevard in Aberdeen where he claimed to have suffered an injury.
When staff tried to help and get him an ambulance, the 37-year-old became aggressive, threatening to put a “dagger” in one employee’s neck.
Davidson then turned his aggression towards police and shouted homophobic abuse towards officers.
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened around 2pm on Saturday.
‘He was not able to get his medication’
She said Davidson had gone into the store and claimed to have collapsed and suffered an injury.
The store manager attended and called for an ambulance, but Davidson became “irate” and a sales assistant stepped in to help.
Ms Petersen said: “The accused became aggressive, stating he’d put a dagger into the sales assistant’s neck.”
Police were then also called and officers were met with a barrage of verbal abuse, homophobic comments, aggression and threats.
Davidson also taunted: “It will take more than two of you to control me.”
However, control him they did and Davidson was swiftly arrested.
Davidson pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive towards police and a similar charge over his threat to the sales assistant under the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-Restricted Good and Services) (Scotland) Act 2021.
Defence agent Gary Foulis described it as a “very, very unsavoury incident”.
Accused ‘hit he bottle’
Mr Foulis said his client had only been released from custody on Friday late afternoon after being acquitted of a separate matter following a trial.
He said: “That had a bit of an impact on Mr Davidson.
“It was late on Friday afternoon, he was not able to get his medication or engage with social work.
“He had been on remand for six months.
“The offence was less than 24 hours since he had been liberated.”
The solicitor said Davidson had received some upsetting news about a family member and “hit the bottle”.
He went on: “He then sustained an injury and has little recollection of matters.
“He accepts shouting and swearing.”
Sheriff Annella Cowan ordered Davidson, of Ruthrieston Circle, Aberdeen, to be jailed for three months.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
