JD Sports shoplifter threatened to stab Elgin staff member in the face

A shoplifter threatened to stab a retail worker in the face when confronted outside JD Sports in Elgin.

Alistair McLeod took a bag with him into the store on the Springfield Retail Park at about 4pm on October 24.

Elgin Sheriff Court was told another shopper then saw the 49-year-old “stuffing items of clothing into it”.

Fiscal depute Shay Treanor said: “A short time later the store’s security alarm went off.

“Two of the staff went outside to investigate and were told by a member of the public that the accused was hiding behind a vehicle in the nearby carpark.

“One of them asked to see what was in the bag.

“The accused replied, ‘If you come any closer I will stab your ******* eye out’.

“The staff members went back inside in fear for their safety.”

It was stated in court that McLeod had stolen several jackets worth £790 in total.

However, none of these jackets were ever recovered either by the defendant or by the store.

It was claimed instead that McLeod had run off from the car park, leaving his bag behind him.

Then, when he returned to the scene later, it had disappeared.

Defence solicitor Iain Maltman stated his client had experienced issues with drugs and alcohol over the years, but was currently free of them.

The lawyer added: “He wants to apologise for his behaviour towards the store’s staff.”

The court heard that McLeod, who had earlier spent 37 days in prison on remand, was not fit enough to do unpaid work for the community.

Sheriff Olga Pasportnikov told him to pay £790 to JD Sports.

In addition, she ordered him to pay £200 in compensation to the staff member he’d threatened.

McLeod was also placed under the court’s supervision for the next two years to monitor his progress.