A sacked Asda worker mounted a vengeful vendetta against a boss he blamed for losing his job – threatening to kill him and his young family.
Raymond Riddoch, 27, who worked out of the supermarket’s Huntly store, even traced the wife of his former manager on Facebook, telling her she would not see her daughters by Christmas.
Riddoch, now living in Aberdeen, narrowly avoided being jail when the case called at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday.
He was ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work by Sheriff Chris Dickson as a direct alternative to prison – and not to enter Elgin’s Asda store where his former manager, Gary Young, works.
Riddoch was dismissed by Asda in April last year, but blamed Mr Young for losing his job.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins told the court the accused began entering the Elgin store asking if his former manager was there, and making threats to harm him.
He added: “Mr Young directly received a phone call from one of the employees who indicated that the accused said he was watching him and intended to kill him.”
Matters escalated in November when Riddoch tracked down his ex-boss’s wife, Lisa, on Facebook.
The fiscal said: “Quite disturbingly he suggested the family should have died in the Paris (terrorism) attacks the year before.”
He also suggested he was watching the family, and had been following Mr Young home.
In a message to Mrs Young on Facebook, he told her that her daughters “won’t make Christmas” and to enjoy her time with them.
The fiscal read out the remainder of the chilling message, which said: “You won’t have long with them. Then you will know the pain your husband has put me through.”
Mr Corrins added: “When arrested and cautioned the next day Riddoch told police that Mr Young had played a part in him losing his job.
“He wanted to see if the messages had an impact.”
Defence agent Matthew O’Neill said his client suffered learning difficulties and had little family support as a child and young adult.
He added: “When he got employment at Asda he essentially viewed the employees as his family. He was upset when he believed this was taken away from him.
“He did not intend carrying out the threats. He is ashamed, embarrassed and deeply remorseful for the concern he has cause to the complainer and his family.”
Sheriff Dickson took five hours to deliberate on the sentence for Riddoch, who admitted sending threatening material and causing fear and alarm, saying: “This is an extremely serious matter.
“The messages you sent were disgusting and would have caused serious alarm to a young family.
“The question for me is whether there is an alternative to a custodial sentence. You appear as a first offender and I take account you have learning difficulties that appear to have had a part in the way you acted.”
The sheriff imposed a community payback order with 300 hours unpaid work and two years supervision. He also barred him from Elgin’s Asda for two years.
