A Perth man who was caught on CCTV smashing up a Perth supermarket has admitted assaulting a female bus driver.
Kyle Wilkie erupted and lashed out at the Citylink employee during a disturbance at the Broxden Park and Ride.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the 22-year-old was spotted swigging from a can of beer at the station on the outskirts of Perth just after 7pm on June 25.
When challenged by driver Christine Graham he became aggressive.
“He demanded to know who had reported him,” said Fiscal Depute Stuart Hamilton.
“He got off the bus but then said he was going to get back on.
“The accused then punched the complainer to the body with a clenched fist.”
Police were called and found Wilke sitting outside a nearby McDonalds.
‘Mindless vandalism’
The court heard that on October 30 2021, Wilkie caused hundreds of pounds of damage to glass doors at Asda and Timpsons on Dunkeld Road.
Staff noticed when they arrived at 6am the door of the Timpsons pod, near the supermarket entrance, had been pushed off its rails.
Mr Hamilton said: “CCTV was reviewed and the accused could be clearly seen throwing a bin against the store window repeatedly.”
He said glass had been cracked in several places.
The cost to repair Asda’s front door came to more than £1,670, while Timpsons suffered £387 of damage.
Manhunt
In February, Wilkie – then a first offender – was placed on a structured deferred sentence after he admitted phoning 999 operators and claiming to have a knife.
“Police and others will be attacked,” he told them.
The hoax call sparked a city-wide manhunt.
Wilkie, described in court as an “attention seeker,” was later found walking the streets without a weapon.
Solicitor Steve Lafferty said his client is now in a stabilising relationship and had been making good progress on the Right Track rehabilitation programme for young offenders.
Sheriff David Hall told Wilkie: “With regards the incident at Asda and Timpsons, this was just mindless vandalism.
“It has been suggested that you were wound up by others and had had been drinking but that is no excuse.
“You caused a lot of damage.”
The sheriff added: “Assaulting a bus driver was totally unacceptable.
“Employees who deal with the public are entitled to protection when they go about their work.”
Wilke, of Fairies Road, was fined £300 and ordered him to pay £387 compensation to Timpsons.
He was also placed on supervision for a year and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work.
