Newsagent was seconds from being stabbed

42 months in jail for man who subjected victim to terrifying ordeal

A terrified Perth newsagent was told he had five seconds to open a till by a knife-wielding masked robber or he would be stabbed.

Perth Sheriff Court heard yesterday that William Davidson targeted RS McColl’s newsagents on Rannoch Road because it was “small and familiar.”

The 58-year-old, of Logie Crescent, waited until shop worker David Ferguson was on his own.

Davidson donned a mask, went behind the counter and placed a six-inch wooden-handled knife into his victim’s back, counting down and placing increasing pressure on his terrified victim. The robber made off with more than £1,000.

Despite Davidson’s solicitor, David Holmes, stating his heroin-addicted client had “no money, no food and no hope” at the time of the offence, October 26 last year, Sheriff Lindsay Foulis jailed him for 42 months.

He said: “Undoubtedly, you planned this robbery and chose the premises.”

“You sat outside and waited until the shop was empty and had armed yourself with a knife. You then went inside wearing a mask and went behind the counter, pressed the knife into the back of Mr Ferguson and told him he had five seconds to open the till or you would stab him.

“You commenced the countdown and at the same time applied more pressure from the knife against Mr Ferguson’s back.”

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said Mr Ferguson, 44, was working in the newsagents alone, stocking cigarettes around 6.45pm when he became aware of a “presence” near him.

“Mr Ferguson saw the accused wearing a mask and black gloves and carrying a five to six-inch knife,” she said.

“The accused told him he had five seconds to open the till or he would stab Mr Ferguson. The employee managed to open the till at the second attempt and the accused took £1,172 in cash.

“The accused left the shop and Mr Ferguson dialled 101 and pressed the panic alarm.”

The court heard that CCTV footage had captured the entire incident and that Mr Ferguson recognised the accused as a “regular customer”.

Ms Whyte added that Davidson was traced but when questioned by police he initially denied the offence.

“You have got the wrong guy – I never screwed that shop,” he told officers.

Mr Holmes said his client had not eaten for four days at the time of the offence and had no electricity.

“My client had no money, no food and no hope,” he said.

“He suffered from an addiction to heroin but he is addressing this now.”

Davidson admitted pressing a knife against the body of Mr Ferguson, demanding money from him, threatening to stab him and robbing him.

William Davidson arrives at court yesterday.

Police at the scene last year.