Abronhill man fined over Asda disturbance

21-year-old James Crockwell, of 10 Spruce Road, appeared in Airdrie Sheriff Court on Wednesday, August 14. The charges were linked to an incident in June this year.

Fiscal Depute Nick Gordon said that the accused entered Asda Cumbernauld at around 12.30am on June 21. He was obviously drunk so security staff decided to keep an eye on him and saw him take a sandwich from the shelf, eat it and put the packaging back on the shelf before taking another to a self scan device. He was approached by a member of the security team who told him he would have to pay for both sandwiches. The accused became verbally aggressive but ultimately produced a £5 note and throwing it at the customer service desk and made to leave, without taking his sandwich. Asked if he wanted the sandwich he paid for, he said: “I just want my money back”. The change was handed over and he dropped it on the floor before leaving the store.

However Crockwell was next observed interfering with a display outside and a member of the security staff went out to speak to him. Crockwell began swinging a carrier bag containing a soft drink bottle at the man, with the bottle ultimately falling out.

Defence agent James Sloan explained that Crockwell had taken to drinking heavily since the death of a friend from an asthma attack. He added that this incident was out of character and his client was not someone to become involved in this kind of behaviour as he was introverted by nature.

Sheriff Petra Collins fined him a total of £200.