A dangerous thug jailed for years for knifing a shopkeeper in 2013 was arrested again months after being released – for brandishing a blade while terrorising his ex-girlfriend.
Graham Elrick was sent to prison more than six years ago for attacking Kwok Fong in Key Stores, on Summerfield Terrace in Aberdeen, during a robbery in October 2012.
The masked hoodlum slashed at Mr Fong’s back and hand with a kitchen knife before stealing money, cigarettes and alcohol from the convenience store.
Sentencing him in January 2013, Lord Uist described Elrick as “a career criminal” and said his list of convictions was “wholly deplorable”.
The robber served more than four years of a sentence of six years and eight months, before being released on August 25, 2017.
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But after only three months at liberty, Elrick was arrested in Moray and returned to prison while awaiting a trial at Elgin Sheriff Court, which took place last month.
He was found guilty of “behaving in a threatening manner” towards Michelle Murray on Station Road in Keith, by “shouting, swearing and demanding entry to her property” on November 23, 2017.
He was also convicted of behaving in an abusive manner on Provost Lane by “shouting, swearing and brandishing a knife, and punching a car”.
And the 32-year old, who is from Fraserburgh, was found guilty of a third charge of having the blade “without reasonable excuse or lawful authority”.
The repeat offender was returned to jail in December 2017, under an order to serve the remaining days of his original sentence.
And he appeared before Lord Uist in Aberdeen yesterday ahead of being sentenced in Moray for his latest conviction.
The judge would have been able to make an order that the sheriff in Elgin impose a prison sentence but decided that, as Elrick has spent the past 15 months incarcerated, it would “not be right” to impose such a ruling and left it for his counterpart to decide on an appropriate punishment.
He said: “Had it not been for the fact that you have already served so many days, I would have imposed an order for your return to prison.”
Mr Fong left his job at Key Stores shortly after being attacked in 2012 as he was afraid to work there alone and at night.
Defence agent, Ronnie Renucci, said Elrick had been under the influence of drink and drugs at the time and had little memory of the offence.
