Published: Tuesday, 19th August, 2008 10:30
Shopper stole fags AFTER raiders bungled robbery
By Court Reporter
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AFTER a terrifying bungled shop hold-up a pitiless customer took advantage of the situation and stole packets of cigarettes left behind by the raider.
The incident unfolded when robber Terry McCallum, 26, entered the store and demanded the 19-year-old shopkeeper open the till.
McCallum jumped the counter, seized hold of the horrified worker by his clothing and pretended to be holding a weapon when the teenager said he did not know how to open it.
Turning instead to the cigarettes, McCallum piled a number of packets onto the counter.
However, McCallum fled the Co-op on High Street, Dumbarton, when a customer entered the store.
Meanwhile, lurking in the background was heroin user Hugh Fisher, 41, who grabbed the scattered smokes and made off with them, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard last week.
Although McCallum and Fisher had never met before they buddied up after the failed raid and were later spotted by cops.
Malcolm McLeod, fiscal depute said: “Police were alerted to the incident and later, at around 8pm, officers saw both accused walking on the street.
“Fisher had a grey fleece around a carrier bag containing cigarettes — McCallum had a bag with cigarettes in it.”
McCallum spat on the arresting police officers while he was being handcuffed.
On Wednesday he pled guilty to assaulting the sales assistant, threatening him and stealing cigarettes and spitting on two police officers on April 27 this year.
Fisher pled guilty to stealing cigarettes from the store.
Tom Brown, McCallum’s lawyer, said: “[McCallum] had been watching football and drinking heavily during the day.
“He went to the shop to buy something but events unfolded as we heard.
“He appreciates it must have been a terribly upsetting incident for the sales assistant.
“He is ashamed of doing this to the police officers also and he appreciates it will lead to a custodial sentence.”
Mr Kerr, defending Fisher, said: “[Fisher] was in Dumbarton because his mother lives here — she recently suffered a serious stroke.
“He and his co-accused had never met before.”
Mr Kerr added Fisher had taken some heroin and went into the shop to make a purchase when he took advantage of the robbery attempt by McCallum.
Sheriff Simon Pender sentenced McCallum, care of Greenock Prison to 28 months in jail for the robbery and six months for spitting on the policemen.
Sentencing for Fisher, of Blythswood Drive, Paisley, was deferred for reports.
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