A repeat criminal brought chaos to one of Dundee’s newest restaurants after a chef caught him stealing purses.
Ryan Wilson pulled the man’s hair and violently struggled with him at Wagamama after he was confronted about leaving the staff room.
Wilson was jailed in December 2023 for stealing from a city centre hotel room and was locked up in 2021 for a raid on a pensioner’s home.
The 29-year-old is now back behind bars after he admitted causing the unsavoury scenes at the Asian-themed venue on Whitehall Street last November.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told how a chef working at Wagamama became suspicious of Wilson roaming around the restaurant.
Prosecutor Sarah High said: “The complainer’s attention was drawn to the accused leaving the staff room area.
“He did not recognise the accused and didn’t think he was a member of staff.
“He challenged him about what he was doing and asked the accused to empty his pockets but the accused refused.”
Wilson ran towards a set of stairs but a struggle ensued as the chef tried to stop the crook from leaving.
Ms High added: “The accused began to pull the complainer’s hair.
“They were separated from each other and another staff member contacted the police.”
Officers caught up with Wilson who was found in possession of house keys, two purses and a mobile phone.
Four months earlier, Wilson lashed out at a suspicious Tesco security guard.
He was noted to be unsteady on his feet and after being intercepted at the front door, shouted “f*** off” before saying he would “smash his face in”.
Wilson, a prisoner at HMP Perth, admitted the November 9 incident at Wagamama and abusing the staff member at the Murraygate store on July 1.
Solicitor Anika Jethwa said her client had an “extremely difficult” background and has endured long-term mental health and drug addiction issues.
“When he is released from prison, he ends up in homeless accommodation and starts seeing people he associated with.
“When he’s stable and not on drugs he’s a polite, quiet individual but these are issues that he labours under.
“He had managed to secure a tenancy which would have been a great step in the right direction but he’s going to lose that now.”
Prior to jailing Wilson for 11 months, Sheriff Clair McLachlan said: “Given the circumstances and the nature of the offences, there’s no alternative but a custodial sentence.”
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