A TERRIFIED New Cumnock shop worker was left “feeling like a criminal” by a knife-wielding thug who tried to rob the store.

A court heard the traumatised staff member no longer felt safe going out in public or walking her dogs as a result of the shocking raid.

The man responsible, 31-year-old Callum McCracken, has been ordered to pay the woman compensation.

But despite a sheriff telling him he “should be ashamed” for his behaviour, McCracken, who had already spent nine months on remand, was spared further prison time for the attack.

McCracken, of Brunton Place, appeared at Ayr Sheriff Court for sentencing after pleading guilty at an earlier hearing to assaulting the female employee by brandishing a knife at her and demanding that she hand over money.

But he left empty-handed after the woman told him: "There's no money, on you go."

CCTV footage was played in court of the attack, which happened at the Premier Stores shop in Castle on January 22, 2023.

The procurator fiscal depute said: “A 57-year-old woman was working at the convenience store.

“At 8pm she could see Callum McCracken enter the store. He said ‘give me the money’.

“She replied ‘there is no money, on you go’.

“He replied ‘stupid f*****g woman’. He stood there with the knife for a couple of seconds while she held her mobile phone in her hand.

“Then he simply walks out the shop.

“The woman gave a statement consistent with what we have seen on CCTV.”

McCracken, of Brunton Place, had also been accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by discarding his outer clothing at the nearby Afton Bridge in a bid to change his appearance.

But his plea of not guilty to that charge was accepted by prosecutors.

Co-accused Connor Murray had been accused of being involved in the robbery incident by acting as a lookout for McCracken, but a jury found him not guilty.

Mr Murray, of Cairnhill Place, had also been accused of assaulting a woman by grabbing her around the neck at a footpath on Dalhanna Drive on the same date, but the jury returned a verdict of not proven on that charge.

McCracken’s solicitor, John Gallagher, told Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart: "The incident was undoubtably harrowing for the complainer involved, though it was mercifully brief.

"Mr McCracken knows, given his record, the custody threshold has been met.

"I'm hoping my lady will consider a high tariff community based-disposal, taking account of the time spent in custody. He was remanded for nine months.

"Mr McCracken has perhaps demonstrated a desire to address his difficulties.

"There are no more issues with illicit substances. He tells me he has £600 [to offer in compensation] with him today.

“He can't remember the last time he was able to save that amount of money.”

When Sheriff MacTaggart observed that Murray had claimed during his trial to be “terrified” of McCracken, Mr Gallagher said: "I think Connor Murray, quite frankly, has a cheek.

"His record makes Mr McCracken look like a choirboy. I would take issue with that.

"This was an escapade dreamed up by both of them in a drug-induced episode. 

"Mr McCracken despises Connor Murray. The fact the two were in each other’s company was a surprise to me, and perhaps shows how far he had fallen in his addiction.

"The man who appears before you today has significantly turned matters around."

Sheriff MacTaggart told McCracken: "The most difficult part of this sentence is the effect your behaviour had on this woman.

"She doesn't go about town. She can’t even walk her dogs.

"She now feels like a criminal. You should be ashamed of yourself. This was for what, to go and buy drugs."

McCracken was handed a community payback order with three years of social work supervision, and was ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work – the maximum allowed under the law.

Sheriff MacTaggart warned him: “If you breach the order you will be back before me, and you don't want that.”