A 34-year-old man who robbed an Inverness corner shop at knifepoint to pay off a drugs debt was jailed for two years at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday.
The court was told that James Wilson, of 1 Brown Street, entered the shop brandishing a 6in knife, but only managed to grab £30 from the till after terrified shop owner Tasneem Butt bravely fended him off with a broom handle.
Wilson was then chased by a passer-by, Stephen Macdonald, but managed to make good his escape after the raid on November 2 last year.
Fiscal depute Roderick Urquhart said: “Mrs Butt’s son called the police but unfortunately the wrong man was detained. But Mr Macdonald helped re-trace his steps and the knife and grey hooded top both containing Wilson’s DNA were found nearby.
“When interviewed by police, he admitted committing the offence at the shop in Greig Street saying he was in debt to drug dealers and that was why he stole the money.
“He hid for a time before changing his clothing. During the interview he expressed his shame several times and said he would not have hurt the shopkeeper.”
Defence lawyer John MacColl said: “My client was in the throes of a serious drug addiction at the time and there is a recognition that he needs help.
“This was an offence committed as an act of desperation. He was being threatened by various individuals at the time if he did not pay back his drug debts.”
Wilson’s jail sentence was backdated to that date.
Mrs Butt, 60, who has owned Greig Street Stores with her family for the last seven years, said that the two-year sentence was “not that long a time”.
She said that a sentence of five to 10 years would have been more appropriate.
She described how she had been in the back of the shop on her own when Wilson entered.
Wilson tried to force his way behind the counter and when unable to do so he reached over to grab the cash out of the till.
She said: “He had a very big knife hidden in his clothes. I was very afraid. I screamed very loudly.
“He grabbed the few notes and then ran but the man upstairs saw and chased after him.”
Mrs Butt described how she attempted to fend Wilson off using a brush handle.
She said that she has not fully got over the incident, and the fright of the robbery “still comes back” at times.