Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Needle-threat thug given jail sentence
A THUG who was detained by security guards in a shoplifting incident and told police that he would stab one of the guards in the eye with a needle has been sent to prison.
Christopher Traynor, 38, of Cyrenians, Soapwork Lane, told officers he would “do six years no bother” after claiming the security guards had been heavy handed with him and had hurt his arm during the incident.
At Dundee Sheriff Court, Traynor admitted that on Sunday, at Boots in Overgate, he stole razor blades.
He further admitted, on the same date at Boots and at the A&E department at Ninewells Hospital, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm and repeatedly uttered threats of violence.
Fiscal depute Lynne Mannion told the court that Traynor was seen by security staff to try to put some razor blades in his pocket but instead dropped them on the floor.
She continued: “The security staff restrained him and led him to the exit.
“He was compliant at first but as he got to the door he became agitated and told security staff ‘I have a dirty needle’.
“Police arrived and he was complaining of a sore arm, so was taken to A&E at Ninewells. “He was making threats to police about the security guards, saying ‘I’ll stab him right through the eye, I will do six years no bother’.”
Solicitor advocate Jim Laverty said that when Taylor was being restrained, he told the security guards he had a needle as a warning rather than a threat.
He said the pressure used by the security staff had given him a sore arm and police took him to A&E.
Mr Laverty added: “The threats were not shouting, it was a conversation.
“He was very upset at the way he had been handled.
“There has never been an issue of violence with him when he was arrested.
“He was taken to A&E so that suggests there may be some substance to his claims of heavy handedness.”
Sheriff George Way told Traynor they were serious charges and jailed him for eight months.