A man has been caged after chasing and robbing a terrified woman at knifepoint on an Aberdeen street.
James Annand, known as Simpson, followed the lone female along Mid Stocket Road and North Anderson Drive before charging at her and brandishing a blade.
The 42-year-old demanded the frightened 23-year-old woman hand over her bag and mobile phone before fleeing with his haul.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened shortly after 8am on September 30 2023.
‘I’ll be fine if you give me your phone and bag’
She said the woman was walking to work along the Lang Stracht and Summerhill Drive.
As she passed the rear entrance to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, she passed Simpson, smiled at him and continued towards North Anderson Drive.
Ms Simpson told the court: “The woman noticed that accused had begun to walk in the same direction as her and formed the opinion that he had started to follow her.”
As she reached North Anderson Drive, she stopped at a pedestrian crossing to Mid Stocket Road and Simpson continued past her.
The woman crossed the road but, shortly afterwards, heard a “loud noise” and turned around to see Simpson “running towards her”.
She asked if he was alright and Simpson replied: “I’ll be fine if you give me your phone and bag.”
The terrified woman noticed her attacker was holding a large kitchen knife with a six-inch blade.
Ms Simpson said: “Due to fearing for her safety, the woman handed the accused her backpack and mobile phone.
“The accused then made off in the general direction of North Anderson Drive.”
‘A reprehensible crime’
The woman returned home and contacted the police.
When officers attended, the woman was able to use Find my iPhone to track her device’s location, which appeared to be within a block of flats on Raeden Crescent.
Officers attended to search for her items and, at 9.05am, saw Simpson leaving the block and arrested him.
Simpson did not have any of the stolen items in his possession, but officers also spoke to his partner who advised he had come home at 8.25am with a black rucksack she had not recognised.
She stated he had then left the address, stating “I’ll be back in a minute”, before returning “flustered and out of breath”, wearing different clothes and no longer in possession of the bag.
Officers checked the communal bin area and found the woman’s backpack and its contents.
Simpson, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to assault and robbery.
Defence agent Iain Hingston said: “There’s not a lot I can say in relation to such a reprehensible crime.
“It clearly had an effect on the complainer and, to his credit, Mr Simpson more than recognises that.”
Mr Hingston said his client struggled with “substance misuse” at the time and also suffered a number of bereavements.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed Simpson for 26 months, backdated to October 2 when he was first remanded in custody.
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