An armed robber who burst into tears when he was recognised during a raid on a Perth newsagent has been jailed – having blown multiple chances to stay out of prison.
Reece Lochrie held up a shopkeeper at knifepoint, demanding money from her till.
But the 25-year-old left in tears, with just a packet of cigarettes and a lighter, after the employee clocked him as a regular customer who lived across the street.
When police came to arrest him, Lochrie told them: “I’ve done something stupid.”
Lochrie pled guilty to assault and robbery at the County News store, on County Place, when he appeared in court last August.
Sentence was deferred for further assessments and the father-of-one was told to engage with the Right Track young offenders programme.
When he returned to the dock this week, Perth Sheriff Court heard Lochrie had been abusive to social workers and breached a bail curfew order three times.
‘Behaved abysmally’
Sheriff Alison McKay told him: “The main reason you are in court today is because you entered a shop with a knife.
“You frightened that lady.
“And if she hadn’t recognised you, I really don’t know what you would have done with that knife and what might have happened.
“You were very lucky that she knew who you were and she talked you out of doing anything more silly than you were already doing.”
She added: “While custody was at the forefront of my mind, there were alternatives available for you.
“That’s why the Right Track programme was imposed and you were placed on a bail curfew.
“Unfortunately, the first report to me said your engagement was inconsistent.
“And since then, things have simply got worse.
“When the court made it clear to you it was now looking at other options for sentencing, you didn’t even take that seriously.
“You behaved abysmally towards the social worker who was only trying to do her job.
“In all circumstances, there is nothing that suggests to me there is any alternative to custody.”
Lochrie showed little emotion as he was jailed for 15 months.
Said sorry as he left shop
Solicitor Angela Clay, defending, said: “Mr Lochrie does wish to apologise to the social worker for his attitude.
“Things got on top of him and he lashed out.”
The court previously heard how Lochrie walked into County News just after 5pm on April 24 2023.
He was dressed all in black and had his hood up, fiscal depute Callum Gordon said.
“He walked quickly towards the complainer and pointed a knife at her, before shouting ‘open it’ and pointing the knife at the till.
“The complainer immediately recognised the accused as someone who attends at the store regularly.
“She knew that he lived in a flat directly opposite.”
The shopkeeper tried to reason with Lochrie, who eventually took his hood down and put his knife away.
Mr Gordon said: “The complainer provided the accused with cigarettes and a lighter, due to being fearful of the accused, knowing that he had a knife.
“The accused began to cry and apologised for what he had done, before leaving the shop and making his way home.”
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