South Shields man threatened to ‘slash’ B&M staff with a piece of slate
A South Tyneside man armed with a piece of slate told an employee who intervened in his shoplifting bid, “I’ll slash you”, a court heard.
Stuart McCulla, 34, issued the terrifying threat while pinching £25 of beer and washing products from B&M’s outlet in South Shields town centre.
The words issued by McCulla, of Whitehead Street, Chichester, South Shields, caused such fear his victim stepped back, believing he could be attacked.
Prosecutor Clare Irving told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court the offender discarded the slate after leaving the store on Wednesday, July 30.
She said: “The victim was at work when he saw the defendant take items and put them in a carrier bag.
“He told the defendant that he would have to pay but he walked straight towards him and pushed past him.
“At this point, the defendant reached into his right pocket of his jumper and tried to get something and said, ‘I’ll slash you’.
“The victim was concerned that the defendant was getting a knife, and so he stepped back.
“The defendant in fact had a piece of slate. It did not have a sharpened end.
“He has made threats, and the victim says that he believed he was going to carry out his threats.
“The defendant started walking away and he discarded the slate.
“He gave ‘no comment’ replies during interview. He’s no stranger to these courts. He has matters recorded as early as this year.”
McCulla pleaded guilty to charges of theft from a shop and causing fear of unlawful violence.
The court heard he committed the offence while subject to a community order, imposed in September for offences of battery and failing to surrender.
David Forrester, defending, said McCulla had previously used drugs, suffered accommodation issues and had learning difficulties.
Mr Forrester added: “The report to the court says that things are moving in the right direction for him.
“This incident happened at or just before he found accommodation. He was in the process of getting sorted out.”
District Judge Zoe Passfield revoked McCulla’s existing community order and replaced it with one of 18 months, with 20 rehabilitation days.
McCulla, who owes the courts over £8,000 from previous matters, must pay his victim £50 compensation.