Scottish shopkeeper spat on in bid by man in unicorn onesie to steal Buckfast

Shocking CCTV footage has shown a man dressed in a unicorn onesie confronting a Scottish shopkeeper while a woman spits in his face in a bid to steal two bottles of Buckfast.

The horrifying moment was captured on film at 9am on a Sunday morning - an hour before shops in Scotland are allowed to sell alcohol.

Father-of-three Sanjay Singh had refused to sell the tonic wine to the man, who was dressed in a unicorn onesie, and the young woman he was with, on the grounds that it was against the law.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Singh, 43, believes the two had been on an all-night drinking binge and wanted to continue partying through Sunday morning.

CCTV footage shows a Port Glasgow shopkeeper being spat on as a man in a unicorn onesie and the woman he was with try to rob two bottles of BuckfastCCTV footage shows a Port Glasgow shopkeeper being spat on as a man in a unicorn onesie and the woman he was with try to rob two bottles of Buckfast
CCTV footage shows a Port Glasgow shopkeeper being spat on as a man in a unicorn onesie and the woman he was with try to rob two bottles of Buckfast

But the pair, aged in their mid-20s, became aggressive and grabbed two bottles of Buckfast, which they had demanded, as well as wrecking the store.

In the CCTV footage the young woman can be seen spitting in Mr Singh's face as he ushers them to the door.

Mr Singh said: “They wanted Buckfast.

“They were high or had been drinking.

The pair, aged in their mid-20s, demanded two bottles of Buckfast at 9am on a Sunday morning - an hour before shops are permitted to sell alcoholThe pair, aged in their mid-20s, demanded two bottles of Buckfast at 9am on a Sunday morning - an hour before shops are permitted to sell alcohol
The pair, aged in their mid-20s, demanded two bottles of Buckfast at 9am on a Sunday morning - an hour before shops are permitted to sell alcohol

“People want their alcohol and the only thing stopping them is the shopkeeper.

“They had been up all night, they were in their 20s - old enough to know better.

“They got angry because I wasn’t going to serve them.

“They were saying ‘I want what I want’.

The pair caused havoc in the shop when shopkeeper Sanjay Singh refused to sell them alcoholThe pair caused havoc in the shop when shopkeeper Sanjay Singh refused to sell them alcohol
The pair caused havoc in the shop when shopkeeper Sanjay Singh refused to sell them alcohol

“I was just asking them to leave the store.

“There were three elderly customers in the shop in their late 70s.

“It was Sunday morning - I tend not to get anyone under the age of 50 on a Sunday morning.”

The confrontation happened at the Park Farm Post Office branch of USave, in Port Glasgow, on July 5.

Father-of-three Sanjay Singh, who runs the USave store in Port Glasgow, has been left shocked after the confrontationFather-of-three Sanjay Singh, who runs the USave store in Port Glasgow, has been left shocked after the confrontation
Father-of-three Sanjay Singh, who runs the USave store in Port Glasgow, has been left shocked after the confrontation
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Singh said trading during the coronavirus crisis has been challenging but this incident had been particularly upsetting.

He says he was lucky the saliva hit him on the chin rather than full in the face.

He added: “It is disgusting at any time, but especially when there is a virus and a pandemic going on.

“We decided to stay open because there’s not enough shops in this area.

“It was very hard for the first few months.

“As a company we thought it was the right thing to do.

“I just want to go to work, that’s what I want to do every day, but I don’t go to work to deal with this.

“It is bad outside the pandemic, but this was in the pandemic.”

The shopkeeper said he had not been tested for Covid-19 and had not developed any symptoms of the illness.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Around 8.55 am on Friday, 5 July 2020, police were called to an incident in a post office/convenience store in Arran Avenue, Port Glasgow, in which the shopkeeper was assaulted and a quantity of alcohol was stolen.

“Enquiries are continuing.”

A message from the Editor:

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director