Drug addict jailed for robbing young shopkeepers

Published on Wednesday 1 October 2008 09:49

A DRUG addict who threatened and robbed two young female shopkeepers has been jailed for 12 months.

Ross Cummins was branded a "menace to the public" for the attack on the two shop assistants at the store in Edinburgh.

Cummins, 21, and another man had gone into the newsagent on July 11 and demanded two bottles of whisky.

His friend yelled "give me the booze or we'll hurt you", then the pair grabbed the bag of alcohol from the women and left the store.

The women were left shaken but uninjured by their ordeal at the Ahmed Newsagent in Ferry Road.

Cummins, who has two previous convictions for robbery, pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court to threatening the women with violence, repeatedly demanding that they hand over bottles of alcohol and robbing them of two bottles of spirits.

Sheriff Derrick McIntyre said he would reduce the sentence from 15 months because Cummins had admitted the offence.

He said Cummins would be supervised for six months after his release from custody.

"This is your third assault and robbery, there has to be a custodial sentence," said the sheriff.

"There were no weapons used but threats were used against two females. I think you are a menace to the public so I shall make a supervised release order of six months' duration."

Gordon Stewart, defending, said Cummins was a heroin addict who had stolen the alcohol to get money for drugs.