A topless and shoeless Dundee veteran has been jailed for trying to carjack a shopper in an Asda car park.
David Wright dragged the female motorist from her car and jumped in the driver’s seat.
The 30-year-old had already tried to rob another woman during his half-naked rampage outside the Asda in Kirkton.
Other shoppers filmed him as he forced his way into the car, shortly after jumping on the roof of another moving vehicle, before falling off onto his back.
The busy store was forced to close its doors during the chaos.
Kirkton Asda pic.twitter.com/gZxXTkckK8
— ⚽️Scuba Steve⚽️ (@stephdufc83) June 14, 2021
Once arrested, Wright told police he wanted to write a letter of apology.
But a year later, he clashed with officers in the same car park, severely injuring one.
Wright, who completed two tours while serving in the forces, including one in South Sudan, was jailed for 25 months.
Car park carnage
Wright, 30, of Napier Drive, Dundee, was sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court via a video link from HMP Perth, where he has been remanded since February.
Previously, Fiscal depute Larissa Milligan said supermarket staff became aware of topless and shoeless Wright’s “erratic” behaviour at about midday on June 14 2021.
The shop, busy with schoolchildren on their lunchbreak, had to shut its doors as he ranted outside.
Ms Milligan said a witness, who had already seen Wright jumping up and down on the bonnets of cars, was walking towards the shop with her handbag on her shoulder.
Wright approached and asked: “Can I get a shot of that bag?”
He grabbed the bag and pulled it off the distressed woman’s shoulder but she managed to cling onto it.
Wright left and clambered over the bonnets of three cars, causing damage to each.
Carjack bid
Minutes later, Wright approached a Volkswagen Scirocco which had just arrived.
He yelled: “Get out the car you ginger bitch.”
After initially opening the passenger-side door, he ran to the driver’s side and seized the woman by her neck.
He dragged her from the car to the ground, where she sustained injuries and damaged her clothing.
She screamed for help as Wright got into the car. Video showing another witness stopping his getaway circulated on social media.
After being arrested, Wright told police: “Everything was a blur to me.
“I have no recollection due to drugs and alcohol.
“I would like to write an apology letter.”
Returned to scene of crime
Just over a year later, Wright returned to the same car park.
Police were called on May 15 because topless Wright had been approaching shoppers outside.
Officers arrived at 4.50pm and Wright initially ran before taking on a fighting stance.
He severely injured one officer by causing their chin to strike the tarmac, requiring five stitches to seal the 3cm cut.
Wright attacked two more police, including kicking one in her face.
In October, he admitted assaulting and attempting to rob the women and assaulting three police officers, as well as vandalising three cars in his first rampage.
He admitted assaulting three police officers on the second occasion.
Domestic violence
At last week’s hearing, Wright was also sentenced for violent offending on a separate occasion.
On Hogmanay last year, he assaulted his partner in a flat in Dundee, preventing her from leaving the room, pulling and pushing her and pinning her down.
His violence continued when police arrived, elbowing one on the body, then grabbing another by the neck, elbowing him on the head, spitting blood towards his face, attempting to gouge his eye and repeatedly attempting to bite him on the face.
A third PC was kicked on the body and had his neck spat on.
Wright appeared from custody on January 2 last year and bailed with special conditions to leave his partner alone but on February 21 and 22, he returned to the flat and assaulted her again.
He repeatedly seized her by the clothing and body and dragged her back into the flat and again resisted arrest by struggling violently, lashing out and pulling PAVA spray from one officer.
Two tours in armed forces
The court previously heard Wright has just two previous convictions, from 2010 and 2011.
Solicitor Mike Short said his client suffers from mental health issues but abused drugs and alcohol at the time.
He explained Wright intends to work in construction where he will routinely be tested for drugs and alcohol.
“He’s someone who’s now stable, he’s very keen to get back to work.
“Mr Wright was clearly unwell at the time but that is not a defence.
“This is a young man who did two tours in the forces – he went to South Sudan.
“I do believe he’s worth the effort, I think he can be helped.
“If he gets back into employment, he can’t take alcohol and he can’t take drugs.
“This is something we’ve got to get right this time.”
Jailed
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael jailed Wright for a total of 25 months, backdated to February 23, and then 11 months of supervision.
He said: “You do have certain problems, I understand that, but at the end of the day it was your decision to take alcohol and drugs that exacerbated things.
“In my view, in order to adequately express the public’s disapproval, to punish you and to deter other people from behaving in this sort of way, it has to be a custodial sentence.”
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