Man jailed after knife robbery attempt ends with him encountering police

A man who committed armed robbery and was apprehended by police officers as he attempted to flee, following resistance from an Aberdeen shop employee, has received a prison sentence. John Gallagher, aged 50, wearing a balaclava, displayed a knife to a female employee at a retail establishment located on Urquhart Road in Aberdeen during July. However, he was apprehended by police officers who were on patrol in the vicinity and observed an incident. Mr. Gallagher received a sentence of three and a half years’ imprisonment at the High Court in Edinburgh, having pleaded guilty to charges of assault and robbery. David Dickson, an advocate depute, stated that Gallagher had brandished a knife, requested money, and performed stabbing gestures in the direction of the victim. While Gallagher was seizing packets of cigarettes, the woman initiated a 999 call and succeeded in removing the balaclava from his head. The operator on the call heard Gallagher state: “Give me the cigarettes. Open it, open it or I’ll stab you. Open it now.” The shopkeeper’s voice was audible saying: “I don’t know how to open the till.” The prosecutor further remarked: “Police officers, who were on mobile patrol, were passing the shop when they noticed a disturbance within.” He continued: “They stopped their vehicle and coincidentally received a relay advising of the ongoing robbery as they entered the shop.” “As they did so the accused tried to run out and ran into the arms of the police.” Drew Mackenzie, representing the defence, stated that Gallagher had been unemployed for several years, primarily due to issues with substance abuse. Mr. Mackenzie commented: “He does have an insight into his offending behaviour and needs to address that going forward, not only for himself but for society in general.” Prior to imposing Gallagher’s sentence, Lord Summers reviewed CCTV recordings of the robbery. The judge noted that, subsequent to reviewing a victim impact statement, it was evident that the offense had caused trauma to the shop employee. He informed Gallagher: “You have, to be blunt, an appalling criminal record.” Detective Inspector Andrew Machray of Police Scotland remarked: “This was a frightening ordeal.” He added: “This conviction should send a clear message to the public. We are committed to keeping our streets and communities safe and will use all resources at our disposal to do this.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.