A yob has been caged after trying to rob an Aberdeen corner shop armed with a “fearsome” knife.
Robert Michie, 31, brandished the large knife at the terrified shop assistant but fled when she managed to activate an alarm.
The blade was described as “fearsome” by Sheriff Graham Buchanan when he was shown a picture of it in court.
However, the Crown refused to provide the image or even a description of the frightening weapon.
Fiscal depute David Ballock told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened on July 11 last year at the L&M Convenience Store on Hutcheon Street.
He said that Michie, a regular customer, came into the shop at 4.46pm, bought a chocolate bar and then left.
Shop assistant left suffering flashbacks
But at 7.36pm, while the shop assistant was serving another customer, she noticed Michie standing outside “looking up and down the street and watching customers entering and leaving”.
Mr Ballock said: “Although the accused was wearing the same clothing as he was during his earlier visit he was now wearing a black snood which was covering the lower part of his face and was wearing a black Nike baseball cap.
“The complainer was just concluding serving a customer when the accused suddenly appeared at the till in possession of a large knife with a gold handle.
“The accused pointed the knife in the complainer’s direction whilst demanding that she open the till and give him money.
“During this, the customer at the counter had moved back with her hands up.
“The complainer responded by activating the security alarm and shouting ‘no’ towards the accused, who immediately left.”
As soon as Michie left, the shop assistant phoned the police.
Two days later, officers executed a search warrant at Michie’s address and recovered the clothing he had been wearing as well as the knife.
Sheriff Buchanan asked if there was any more information about the knife and was shown a picture of it.
He reacted by exclaiming: “Quite fearsome, I would say!”
Michie, of High Street, Rhosymedre, Wrexham, pled guilty to attempted robbery.
Defence agent David Sutherland said his client had pled guilty at an early stage, adding: “He’s sorry and he shouldn’t have done it.
“He recognises the complainer would have been traumatised and likely remains traumatised by the events of that day and that she would have been scared of going back to work in case the same thing happened again.”
The solicitor advised Michie had shown “regret and remorse” and had “rid himself of his drug dependency”.
‘This was a very serious offence indeed’
Mr Sutherland said that he social work report recommendation was “clearly inappropriate” and that Michie understood only a prison sentence would be appropriate.
Sheriff Buchanan said: “The victim impact statement makes it clear that she continues to have difficulties as a result of what happened, including getting flashbacks of the knife and finding it hard to sleep.
“This was a very serious offence indeed. You behaved in a manner which has caused great trauma to your victim.
“I have seen a photo of the knife and it’s perfectly understandable that she must continue to be seriously affected by the experience.
“I find it hard to understand why the author of the social work report thought the appropriate disposal should be a community payback order with a supervision requirement.
“That seems to me to have been entirely unrealistic.”
Instead, Sheriff Buchanan ordered Michie to be jailed for two years and eight months.
He also imposed a 12-month supervised release order and granted forfeiture of the knife.
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