INVERNESS SHERIFF COURT: Would-be robber tried to hold up two stores in Inverness armed with a screwdriver
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An armed man who tried to hold up two convenience stores in Inverness has been jailed for 18 months.
Jason Ryan (49) brandished a screwdriver at employees of a store in the city’s Lochalsh Road and made violent threats to two female members of staff there.
But a customer who just happened to be in the store at the time intervened and jumped on him to stop his attempted robbery, Inverness Sheriff Court heard at a previous hearing of the case.
The court was told that Ryan also tried to pull a similar stunt at the Spar shop in the city’s Thornbush Road, also on the same date – February 18 – where he used a “pointed item” to threaten a member of the store’s staff.
Ryan, who address was not given in court papers, had denied the charges but was convicted after trial by a jury.
The court heard previously that, at the Lochalsh Road store, he was trying to buy alcohol outwith the permitted hours and was warned by staff before he brandished the screwdriver and delivered his threats.
During the scuffle he assaulted one woman.
The court was told that she fell backwards and hit her head on a counter top in the shop.
Ryan was also found to have behaved in a threatening and abusive manner towards the customer in the shop who intervened and successfully put an end to his attempted robbery.
He was found guilty of struggling with her and threatening her, telling here that he had another screwdriver on his person in addition to the one he was brandishing.
As well as the two attempted robbery charges – one aggravated by assault – and the threatening behaviour offence Ryan was also found guilty of being in possession of a weapon in a public place without reasonable excuse.
He was remanded in custody following the trial.
Appearing for sentencing at the court this week in connection with all matters Ryan decided to represent himself and said nothing in defence of his actions.
Sheriff Sara Matheson told him: “You were unanimously found guilty by a jury.
“I note you have 10 previous convictions – some analogous.”
The 18-month jail sentence she handed down was backdated to take effect from February 21 when Ryan was first remanded in custody.
