A violent habitual thief who left a Dundee shop worker fighting for his life while he raided the shelves for steak and alcohol is facing a “significant” jail sentence.
Robert Gray battered Scott Thomson over the head with a bottle as he raided the Marks & Spencer store at Gallagher retail park.
He then made off with just three bottles of liqueur and seven packs of steak.
He later told his girlfriend he had attacked the shop worker and “smashed his skull”.
Mr Thomson suffered a life-threatening brain bleed and needed an operation to temporarily remove a piece of his skull.
Shop struggle
Advocate depute Richard Goddard told the High Court in Edinburgh Gray had an extensive record of 88 previous convictions and at the time of the offence – October 12 last year – was on multiple bail orders.
He said: “At around 4am the complainer Scott Thomson was working at a loading bay at Marks & Spencer, Gallagher Retail Park, Dundee.
“He heard the sound of glass smashing at the rear of the store.
“He went to investigate and saw the accused entering the shop through a broken window.
“The complainer called the police and told the accused he was doing so.
“The accused then repeatedly stated ‘I’m coming through, I’m coming through’.
“Whilst the call was being made the accused entered the shop.
“Upon entering the shop he picked up a glass bottle and threw it at the complainer, which struck him on the head.
“The accused then armed himself with another glass bottle and began struggling with the complainer.
“In the course of the struggle, the accused repeatedly struck the complainer over the head with the glass bottle.
“This caused the complainer to fall to the floor, unconscious and injured.
“The accused left the complainer in that state and began to steal bottles of alcohol and steaks before fleeing via a fire exit.
“The complainer regained consciousness and was able to get to his feet. He was bleeding heavily.”
Life-saving operation
Police arrived shortly after and found Mr Thomson with wounds on his head and face.
He was staggering and unable to speak clearly so an ambulance was called.
At hospital he was found to have numerous fractures to his skull, as well as two brain bleeds.
One of the bleeds was from an artery and was placing pressure on the brain, which medics deemed a danger to his life.
They removed part of his skull and Mr Thomson spent a month in hospital.
He has been left scarred by the incident.
Prison ‘inevitable’
Gray was found at his girlfriend’s flat, along with clothes covered in Mr Thomson’s blood.
Chris Gilmartin, representing Gray, said: “The intention at the time was to break in and reach through to steal a bottle from a shelf.
“In the process of that he fell into the shop.
“That’s reflected in the narrative where he said ‘I’m coming in’.”
Gray, 41, a prisoner at Perth, was originally charged with attempted murder but admitted assault to severe injury, permanent disfigurement and danger of life, breaking into the store to steal and possessing an offensive weapon, the bottle.
Judge Lord Scott noted the serial offender had graduated from “merely a nuisance to being a menace”.
He said: “The complainer was simply doing his job.
“The accused had warning he was calling police and did not flee.
“And for goods to the value of tens of pounds he inflicted serious damage on his victim.
“A significant custodial sentence is inevitable.”
He ordered social work reports to determine whether Gray should be handed an extended sentence when he returns to court later this year.
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