The Scottish Ambulance Service was “too busy” to help a shop worker who was brutally beaten by robbers, forcing her employer to drive the bleeding woman to the hospital himself.
Two teenage girls had earlier pounded the 30-year-old victim with their fists and repeatedly kicked her during a savage attack at the Premier store and Post Office on Victoria Street, Dyce.
The pair’s vicious rampage – which was captured on a Ring security camera and lasted for several minutes – took place at around 10.30pm on Monday night.
While the stricken female appears to be lying still on the floor, one of the foul-mouthed robbers is seen going behind the checkout counter to steal bottles of alcohol before the pair both flee the scene.
But when the injured sales assistant’s boss arrived to help her and telephoned 999 for an ambulance, he was told one wouldn’t arrive for four hours so he should take the patient to the hospital himself.
‘Almost unconscious’ Aberdeen shop worker was ‘covered in blood’
Shop owner Amothen Kandasamy, 43, told The Press and Journal: “My employee was bleeding and almost unconscious with her nose and mouth covered in blood.
“I phoned the ambulance service and they told me that they weren’t able to come for four hours and instead advised me to take her to the hospital.
“It was very disappointing,” Mr Kandasamy added, asking: “What’s the point in calling 999 if they can’t respond? What am I paying my taxes for?”
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that it didn’t attend the incident but did not respond when The Press and Journal asked if it wanted to comment on Mr Kandasamy’s frustrating experience.
The businessman, who owns nine convenience stores and four Post Offices across Aberdeen, had first called 999 to alert the police to the robbery.
It’s claimed the robbers lashed out after the defenceless shop worker suspected them of shoplifting and tried to throw them out of the store.
Mr Kandasamy revealed that the same two teenagers had been reported to the police just weeks before, when they were banned from the Dyce shop after the same assistant was assaulted on January 23.
“Last time, she went to the hospital with swollen legs. It was reported to the police then, but now it’s happened again. They always come and steal.”
Horrifying video captured attack
The Press and Journal has watched harrowing video of the latest attack.
It shows two girls terrorising the shop worker who is seen to have her hair pulled before being taken down to the ground.
Then one of the thugs kneels on the frightened woman as she pounds her face while the accomplice repeatedly kicks the victim’s body.
A shop basket is even thrown at the shop worker’s head before she is left on the ground while a shelf containing bottles of alcohol behind the sales counter is ransacked.
Describing the ordeal, Mr Kandasamy told The P&J: “It was scary. They pulled out a lot of her hair. She had a broken nose, and a swollen head and face.
“She was bruised all over and wasn’t even able to speak.
“We took her to the hospital at about 11.30pm. She was given painkillers and asked to wait until seven o’clock the following morning when she was treated by doctors.”
Detectives investigating Dyce robbery arrest two girls
Detectives have now arrested two teenage girls in connection with the alleged robbery on Monday.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Following enquiries two teenage girls, aged 14 and 15, have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
“A report has been submitted to the Youth Justice Management Unit.”
The investigation is also treating an earlier incident in January as connected with the most recent one, although no one has been charged yet.
But Mr Kandasamy, whose businesses have been plagued by shoplifters and robbers over the years, said that the latest drama might prove to be the last straw.
“My staff are scared to work and it’s very difficult to keep recruiting more,” he said.
“Most of the businesses I’m running are in buildings that were empty when I took them over. I’ve spent quite a lot of money on them to provide services for communities.
“I’m even running four Post Offices. But because of all of these incidents I’m totally fed up and maybe planning to close down and leave Aberdeen.”
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