Jail for ex-drug addict who threatened staff He was still shouting at cops when he was dragged out of shop
A former junkie with an “appalling” criminal record has been jailed for nine months after threatening a shop worker who questioned what he was up to.
Barry Robertson was quizzed by security staff who recognised him when he entered the Lidl store, in Johnstone High Street, on September 14.
Infuriated, and claiming he was in the store to buy beer, the 40-year-old kicked off .
He told a staff member: “I know your face – I’ll get the boys to do you.”
Police were called in and Robertson, of Armour Street, Johnstone, was arrested.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard how he continued to act in an agitated state and was still shouting and swearing at police as they hauled him away from the scene.
In court, he admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause fear and alarm to others on the date in question by acting aggressively, shouting, swearing and uttering threats.
The court was told that he “flared up” just after 3pm when spoken to by the member of staff.
Defence agent Charlie McCusker said his client took exception with he found himself being followed around and monitored while he was in the store.
Mr McCusker said: “He was there for a lawful reason – to purchase alcohol.
“And, when spoken to, he felt he was being wrongly accused.”
The court heard that, after his arrest, he had a recall to prison to serve out the remaining part of his last jail term, and had then been released on an electronic tag.
He had previously been addicted to hard drugs and was able to wean himself off illicit substances after completing a Drug Treatment and Testing Order, but started to abuse alcohol instead.
Jailing him, Sheriff Colin Pettigrew said: “You have an appalling record.
“It is commendable that you managed to get yourself off a substantial drug addiction, but you cannot simply substitute that with another – alcohol.”
He ordered the jail term to be backdated to the time of his arrest – September 18.