A THUG who was seen tampering with an ATM machine in Glasgow’s Southside went on to brandish a screwdriver at a passer-by who stopped to investigate.

Abdul Rashid, 34, was at the cash machine on Eglington Street when he was observed to be acting suspiciously at 12.05am on April 27 last year.

A witness stopped and challenged Rashid, who then began to act in an aggressive manner.

Prosecutor Ali Roy told Glasgow Sheriff Court that £2121.50 worth of damage was caused to the machine.

She said: “The accused shouted towards the witness, ‘what are you recording for, what the f**k is wrong with you, I’m going to shank you’ and other phrases.

“The accused lifted his hands in an attempt to knock the phone from the witness’s hand and began to lunge towards him brandishing a screwdriver and making stabbing movements.

“A passer-by contacted police at this point. When police arrived, the accused refused to comply with requests. He was eventually arrested and conveyed to police vehicle.

“He was shouting and swearing including ‘f*****g p***s’ towards officers who noted damage to the ATM.

“When cautioned and charged, Rashid replied ‘I went to the bank machine, my card didn’t come back. I banged it two or three times’.”

Glasgow Times:

In a separate incident on June 24, 2021, Rashid’s distressed neighbour called police after being awoken at 12.10am due to loud noises.

Officers attended at Rashid’s flat on St Andrew’s Drive, Pollokshields, and noted noise, which was coming from the TV, to be excessive.

Ms Roy said: “Officers noted the accused to be under an anti-social behaviour order and due to this, he was arrested and charged.”

The court also heard that on February 12 this year, Rashid entered a shop at 11.05am and headed to the till.

He shouted and swore at the female employee managing the till in an aggressive manner, causing her to push the panic alarm after he failed to calm down.

Ms Roy said: “The worker was assisted by other employees and the accused started calling them p*****s, d*******s and other names.

“He placed both hands on an employee causing him to stumble. He then forcibly placed his head on this employee’s head, forcing him backwards.

“Police were contacted, and the accused was ushered out by workers. He then spat on the wall near to one of the employees.

“A short time later, police traced the accused. He forcibly pushed one officer with both hands and forced his head upon hers.”

Rashid was conveyed to Helen Street police office.

His lawyer explained that he accepts full responsibility for his actions.

The defence solicitor went on to say: “He has a lack of memory of some of the matters. He came to the UK from Somalia and has been here since he was 16. There is reference to mental health issues in the social work report.

“He has been in custody for 246 days. I would invite you to deal with this by way of a community-based disposal due to the time already spent in custody.”

Sheriff Jonathan Guy jailed Rashid for 275 days.

He said: “This is a horrific course of offending, and these offences pass the custody threshold. There is no appropriate disposal other than a period of imprisonment.”