A man left a Glenrothes shopkeeper terrified by going on a rampage after being confronted about shoplifting, a trial has heard.
Greg Martin, 38, was accused of pulling a knife from his pocket and throwing items at shopkeeper Tahir Mukhtar, before pushing over the till and lifting a shopping trolley.
Mr Mukhtar told jurors Martin, of Links Street in Kirkcaldy, entered the shop with another woman shortly before 5pm on September 28, 2020.
Mr Mukhtar said he confronted the woman about shoplifting and she returned some condensed milk and coffee.
He then accused Martin of stealing biscuits.
The shopkeeper, who has run Star News for 20 years, said he asked Martin to leave and another customer who entered the shop did the same.
He alleged Martin became aggressive and the other customer shouted the accused had a knife.
Mr Mukhtar, 43, said: “I told him to leave the premises.
“Another customer came in. He asked him to leave as well.
“The customer said that the guy had a knife.
“I ran behind the counter to phone the police.
“The man was still in the store throwing things from the shelves. He picked up the till.
“The police could hear all the commotion in the background.”
Claim accused destroyed shop fittings
Mr Mukhtar stated Martin managed to move the bolted-down till onto the floor, damaging the counter and causing £400 of damage.
The scratch card dispenser and a PayPoint terminal were also brought down and damaged by Martin, he said.
He said he could see Martin holding a knife with a four-inch blade in his right hand as he threw crisps and sweets at him with his left hand.
“I was terrified.
“I was frightened, just in case he came around behind the counter and used the blade.
“I was hoping that the police would come soon.”
However, a charge alleging Martin was in possession of a knife was dropped on Tuesday.
Mr Mukhtar said Martin came back minutes later and was holding an Asda shopping trolley.
Baseball bat question
Police officers giving evidence said when they finished taking witness statements, Martin was in an ambulance in a state of intoxication and was being treated for a head injury.
He was later taken to hospital.
Solicitor David McLaughlin asked Mr Mukhtar if he kept a baseball bat in his shop or used one to strike or try to strike Martin.
The shopkeeper denied this.
Mr Mukhtar said the incident was not captured on CCTV as his hard drive was broken that day and he was waiting for a new part to arrive.
Martin denies acting in a threatening or abusive manner at Star News on Queen Margaret Drive in Glenrothes on September 28 in 2020.
The trial, at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court before Sheriff Alison McKay, continues.
