Fort supermarket knife man jailed for 15 months
A 35-YEAR-OLD homeless man turned on supermarket staff who had been kind to him and then threatened to kill some of them.
Paul Edwards, originally from Portsmouth, had taken a collection of knives and blades into Morrison’s supermarket in Fort William on November 8.
Employees at the An Aird premises had previously taken pity on Edwards who was living rough in the Lochaber area and allowed him to use their coffee machine and other facilities.
But Inverness Sheriff Court was told that they were shocked and frightened by his behaviour and called police.
When Edwards was arrested in an underground car park in Middle Street, they found a holstered knife in his belt, a hacksaw blade, two scalpels and nine blades.
Fiscal depute Michelle Molley told Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood that Edwards, a previously diagnosed schizophrenic, was assessed by a medical practitioner and sectioned to New Craigs Hospital.
She added that he had told police he had shot himself with a humane animal dispatch gun three days earlier. He was released into police custody two days later and charged.
Last Tuesday he admitted behaving in an abusive and threatening manner towards staff shouting and swearing at them. He also pleaded guilty to illegal possession of knives and blades in a public place. Edwards was jailed for 15 months.
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said his client, who had previously served jail sentences, wanted to be dealt with immediately rather than have reports prepared.
‘He had mental health difficulties in the past but he says he is good now. There was reference to him shooting himself. He had been working on a farm and it was an accident.
‘He is wearing those trousers today and there is still a hole in them. When he is released, he intends to return to Portsmouth and stay with his mother.
‘He offers his apologies to the staff.’