A man has been jailed after he claimed to have a gun and told supermarket staff: “I will shoot you all.”
Stephen Dick, 23, had been challenged by staff at the Aldi store in Inshes at the time of the outburst.
His solicitor said Dick had “panicked” and made the comment, which he did not believe was taken seriously by staff.
Dick appeared from custody at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit a single charge of threatening or abusive behaviour in relation to the incident on August 13 of this year.
Fiscal depute Adelle Gray told the court that it was around 9pm when workers at the store noticed a disturbance.
She said: “They became aware of a male voice shouting and some form of commotion taking place.”
The staff members went to the front of the store where others were talking to Dick.
Gun claim man put hand in pocket
“The accused put his hand in his pocket and stated that he had a gun,” Ms Gray told Sheriff Robert Fraser adding: “The accused proceeded to make the comment ‘I will shoot you all’.”
The court heard that Dick then left the store and police were called. He was traced and arrested just before midnight of the same day.
Solicitor Marc Dickson, for Dick, told the court that his client had “panicked” when challenged about a bottle of alcohol and “responded inappropriately”.
He added: “I don’t think there was any perception from the parties that he was going to do anything.”
Mr Dickson said Dick had been in custody since his arrest and was now medicated for intrusive thoughts and anxiety.
He said that agencies working with the young man believed there was “scope” for change if he remained at liberty.
Mr Dickson acknowledged Dick’s previous offending but said: “He is someone for whom change can be effected.”
49 crimes in five years
But Sheriff Frazer told Dick: “You have amassed 49 previous offences over a period of five years, resulting in 17 custodial sentences, and 15 community payback orders.
“I think it’s fair to say that the court can conclude from this that you are a habitual offender and do not adhere to the terms of community payback orders.”
The sheriff said: “Non-custodial disposals are having absolutely no effect” and jailed Dick, of Mackintosh Road, Inverness, for six months.
The sentence was backdated to August 14.