A man who befriended a student who had been drinking then assaulted and robbed him has been jailed.
William O’Neill, 36, of Dens Road, was with another male when he met Ibrahim Ahmad in Bell Street around 4.20am on Saturday January 21 last year.
After engaging him in conversation, McNeil threatened to kill the then- 22-year-old student by slitting his throat, before forcing him to withdraw £200 from a bank machine.
Dundee Sheriff Court was told Mr Ahmad was on his way home from The Union at Dundee University.
Fiscal depute Charmaine Gilmartin said that initially the conversation was friendly but later the accused became aggressive, removing his jacket and claiming the Mr Ahmad had threatened to “shank” him.
The fiscal said: “The complainer was scared but the accused calmed down very quickly and continued speaking with him.”
She said they carried on walking but O’Neill then asked the complainer to give him 10p, which Mr Ahmad refused to do.
O’Neill became aggressive again and Mr Ahmad felt intimidated, so handed over a phone, ID card and a driving licence.
Mrs Gilmartin said: “The accused then told him to follow him to a bank machine in Murraygate and threatened to slit his throat if he didn’t do it.”
The fiscal said Mr Ahmad was terrified of being hurt, although the accused did not physically make contact with him. The accused took the money, warned Mr Ahmad not to tell the police and walked away.
Mrs Gilmartin said the complainer was “extremely distressed and crying” and that he “thought he was going to die”.
O’Neill was traced on January 25 through CCTV footage.
He admitted assaulting Mr Ahmad, threatening to stab him and kill him, placing him in a state of fear for his safety, forcing him to withdraw money and robbing him.
O’Neill also admitted a charge of failing to appear at court on October 10.
Solicitor Grant Bruce said O’Neill accepted it would have been very frightening for the complainer.
Jailing O’Neill for two years and nine months, Sheriff Tom Hughes said: “You must have caused great distress to Mr Ahmad.
“This can’t be tolerated by the courts.”
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