Man who threatened to stab staff is jailed

May 29 2008 by Our Court Reporter

A BELLSHILL man who threatened to stab supermarket staff in Motherwell has been jailed for 17 months.

Paul Curran (34), of South View, stole cheese from Iceland in Brandon Parade South on January 26 this year.

Curran then told members of staff that he had a knife in his possession and would stab them.

He also waved a syringe at the workers.

A charge of assault on four members of staff with the syringe was dropped by the Crown.

Curran admitted the offences in February.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court last week, Sheriff Joyce Powrie jailed Curran for a number of offences.

On March 10, at Asda in Motherwell, the 34-year-old stole several packets of meat.

He admitted the offence on April 1.

But only three days later, on April 4, he committed a breach of the peace when he shouted, swore and placed his parents Thomas and Blache Curran in a state of alarm.

The incident occurred at his house in Bellshill.

He was bailed again on April 16 after he admitted the crime.

But on May 7, at Ali and Son’s shop in Motherwell’s Kylemore Crescent, Curran shouted racist remarks at the workers in the shop.

The offences at Ali and Son’s, his house and at Asda were all committed while Curran was on bail.

The 34-year-old has an extensive criminal record dating back to 1990.

He has been in and out of jail since 1992.

Sheriff Joyce Powrie took a dim view and sent him to jail for another 17 months.

He was sentenced to two-and-a half-months for the Iceland offences, four-and-a-half months for the Asda meat theft, four months for the breach of the peace at his house and six months for shouting racist remarks at Ali and Son’s.