A desperate thief threatened a supermarket worker with a needle after being caught nicking steaks.
Craig Gallacher was jailed after brandishing a hypodermic needle at manager Andrejs Murnieks outside Aldi at The Stack Leisure Park last September.
A shopper warned staff that Gallacher was attempting to leave the store with bags full of goods he hadn’t paid for.
Gallacher, a prisoner of HMP Perth, fled the shop with the items and was pursued by staff into the car park.
He was heard to shout: “Get back or I’ll stab you with a needle.”
Depute fiscal Nicola Gillespie told Dundee Sheriff Court: “The complainer followed him and the accused produced a needle which was uncapped, measuring 15cm with an orange tip. They immediately backed off and the accused ran away.
“They watched the incident on CCTV later and he stole steaks valued at £4.50 each.”
A few months later, Gallacher turned his attention to the M&S store on Murraygate.
He was witnessed taking three packets of steaks and walking past the checkout and was seen running off towards the Seagate.
Members of staff ran after him as Gallacher shouted: “I’ll ******* stab you. I’m telling you I’ll ******* stab you.”
Gallacher, 34, pleaded guilty on indictment to brandishing the needle and threatening to stab Mr Murnieks on September 26 as well as stealing four beef steaks. He also admitted stealing three packets of steaks from M&S on December 18.
Solicitor Anne Duffy said Gallacher made the thefts out of “desperation for drugs.”
She added: “He’s normally the easiest person to deal with, he always asks for the jail but he’s asked today if your lordship would consider a drug treatment testing order.”
Sheriff Gregor Murray instead jailed Gallacher for a total of 546 days.
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