Glasgow man threatened shopworker with knife as payment failed

Connor Forde, 30, arrived at the Kilmarnock Road store in the Southside at 12.30pm on November 1, last year. He was intoxicated as he went inside.

After he picked up his items, Forde was having issues with his mobile banking app and couldn't pay.

Due to this, he became irate and got into a verbal altercation with the shopkeeper, Muhammad Saleem.

He was asked to leave and take his belongings with him but he refused and continued to be aggressive.

Forde moved towards the worker in a threatening manner, as if instigating a fight.

Their argument spilled out to the public path as Forde pushed him in the chest, then punched him in the same place.

The employee called the police.

While outside, Forde was marching back and forth and continued his abusive behaviour.

He suddenly took out a black Stanley knife from his jacket pocket and began waving it towards the shopkeeper.

While he had the knife, he said he would burn down the store.

As he heard approaching police sirens, he grabbed his belongings and walked away.

Cops traced and arrested him. While doing this, they also noted he threw an item away.

Officers recovered the black knife from a bush nearby.

Forde told them: “Obviously, I got a Stanley, I have been working today. I am admitting my wrongdoings.

"You caught me, you found my family. I didn’t have it in my pocket when you stopped me because I was scared.”

Forde appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court last week after he pleaded guilty to having an article which had a blade or was sharply pointed, namely a knife, and assaulting Mr Saleem.

His lawyer stated: "He was working and came around the local shop.

"He recognises he was out of order and he is deeply ashamed.

"He had been under the influence of alcohol. Supervision would be appropriate to allow him to deal with addiction services. He previously completed a community payback order."

 Sheriff Simone Sweeney tagged Forde for 80 days, forcing him to stay at home between 7pm and 7am each day.

He was also sentenced to 12 months of supervision with a conduct requirement to engage with addiction services.