An Aberdeen armed robber has been jailed for attacking one shopkeeper with a pair of scissors and using a fork against another.
Mark Hall first robbed Seaton Convenience Store on School Road, lunging at a member of staff with a pair of scissors after complaining the shop was late opening.
Then in a second unrelated incident months later, the 24-year-old armed himself with a fork and attended the News ‘n’ Chews store on Bridge Street where he struggled with and assaulted the shop worker.
Fiscal depute Lucy Simpson told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the Seaton Convenience Store worker arrived at the shop at 6.05am on May 24 last year to open up.
On arrival, Hall was waiting outside and complained: “You need to open the shop by 6am. You’re late today.”
Robber brandished scissors
The worker advised he needed five minutes to get ready before he could serve Hall at the till and went inside to prepare.
At 6.14am, Hall entered and, when the man had his back turned, joined him in the area behind the till and grabbed him while making demands for money from the till.
Ms Simpson told the court: “The accused brandished a pair of scissors which he had brought with him towards the complainer.
“The accused then lunged towards him with the scissors, grabbed him by the jacket and struggled while holding the scissors.
“A violent struggle ensued, with the complainer struggling to prevent accused from assaulting him and getting near to him with the scissors.”
The man managed to say “I’ll give it” and Hall stopped the attack.
Aberdeen armed robbery captured on CCTV
Hall shouted: “Give me everything out of that f***ing till.
“Give it now or I’ll put this across your throat.
“Everything. Every-f***ing-thing.”
The terrified shop assistant opened the till and handed Hall a number of £10 notes from within, saying: “You take it.”
Hall grabbed the money and turned to leave while still pointing the scissors at his victim.
As he left, Hall picked up a cardboard box containing the store’s shopping baskets and threw it at the employee, shouting “little c***” as he did.
The police were then contacted and shown CCTV footage which captured the incident in full.
The money stolen was till’s float and was said to consist of no more than 20 £10 notes.
In a separate incident, around 3.30am on January 5 this year, Hall assaulted a worker at News ‘n’ Chews on Bridge Street in Aberdeen.
Ms Simpson told the court Hall entered the shop, went up to the counter and asked to purchase a lighter.
‘The accused produced a fork from his pocket and lunged’
The shop assistant handed Hall a lighter and took payment, but noticed the amount was short.
He explained this to Hall but said that he was happy to accept it on this occasion.
Despite the act of kindness, Hall “became irate” and walked behind the counter towards the employee.
Ms Simpson said: “The accused produced a fork from his pocket and lunged towards the complainer.
“The complainer was frightened the accused intended to cause him harm.”
In response, the shop assistant picked up a portable heater and threw it at Hall.
However, this had no effect and there was a struggle between the men who traded punches.
The worker managed to get past Hall and ran out onto the street where a member of the public intervened to separate them and called the police.
Hall, of Dulnain Road, Aberdeen, pled guilty to assault to injury and robbery and possession of an offensive weapon over the Seaton incident.
Issues with anger management
He also admitted assaulting a retail worker and possession of an offensive weapon over the Bridge Street incident.
Defence agent Lynn Bentley said her client had previously made no application for bail as he “felt his behaviour had begun to get out of control”.
She added he had issues with anger management and that both offences were linked to his drug use.
Ms Bentley explained Hall had been made homeless for a period and was placed in hotel accommodation where he struggled to cope mentally.
However, she submitted that he had since begun to display the “green shoots of change”.
She argued: “The problems that existed that led to these offences will still exist should he receive a custodial sentence.
“All the good work and progress that he’s achieved of late may be lost.”
‘He wants to apologise’
Ms Bentley said Hall no longer used drugs and added: “He wants to apologise to both of the staff members who were victims of his criminal behaviour.
“If he could put the clock back he would not have done these things.
“He’s shown appropriate levels of remorse and made an effort to change his behaviour.”
Sheriff Andrew Miller told Hall: “I’m not persuaded there’s any proper basis for imposing a community order.
“In my view, the only appropriate outcome is a period of imprisonment.”
At this, a member of Hall’s family who was watching the proceedings, burst into tears and wept uncontrollably, before leaving the courtroom.
Sheriff Miller ordered Hall to be caged for 24 months.
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