Jean McGill simply needs she had ‘skelped’ the would-be-thief (Photos: Day by day File/Media Scotland)
A terrific grandmother who ‘doesn’t scare simply’ fended off a wannabee-shoplifter with ease, a courtroom has heard.
Brian Millar bought greater than he bargained for when he took on the Dundee pensioner.
He tried to steal money within the metropolis’s Forbes newsagents, the place shopworker Jean McGill was stationed behind the counter.
The 70-year-old rapidly dodged tried blows by the thug after he threatened her at hand over the money.
Jean then grabbed a hammer she’d been utilizing to bash in nails and went after the masked thug, forcing him to flee the scene.
A courtroom heard that Millar who was jailed for one yr for the raid had ‘met his match’ when he got here head to head with the feisty shopworker.
Jean informed the Day by day File: ‘He swung and tried to hit me greater than as soon as, and got here shut, however I managed to lean again and get out of the way in which. He would positively have hit me, it was horrific and terrifying.
‘That’s after I bought my hammer. I’m not a violent particular person however an enormous a part of me needs I skelped him with it, I actually do.
Jean McGill bravely scared off Brian Millar – however was left shaken by the expertise (Image: Day by day File/Media Scotland)
‘I threw the hammer at him as he tried to get away, however I simply didn’t fairly hit him. I’m simply sorry it didn’t join after what he did and what he put us by.’
Jean had solely simply opened the Forbes Newsagents in Dundee when Millar entered whereas brandishing the weapon round 4.50am on March 11 this yr.
After being informed at hand over money, the 70-year-old pulled a hammer of her personal from underneath the counter and lashed out at her attacker.
Millar managed to seize £200 from the until earlier than fleeing the scene – adopted by Jean who hurled her hammer at him as he scarpered.
Jean stated: ‘He got here in sporting a masks along with his hood up simply after we opened up round 4.30am. I used to be on the counter when he brandished the hammer at me demanding “give me cash”.
‘I used to be utterly shocked, and simply seemed again at him and stated “what?” He raised the hammer a bitty increased and repeated his demand, so I opened the until.
‘There was a hammer I had been utilizing to bang nails into the wall that I had thrown underneath the counter when prospects got here in. I’m not within the behavior of protecting a hammer underneath the counter – though I’m now.’
Jean McGill noticed off the hammer assault on the Forbes Newsagent on Clepington Highway in Dundee (Image: Day by day File/Media Scotland)
Millar was later traced by police and at Dundee Sheriff Court docket was sentenced to a yr in jail and a six-month interval of supervised launch having pleaded responsible to assaulting Jean McGill on the Clepington Highway retailer.
He admitted repeatedly attempting to strike her with a hammer and robbing £200 money.
Defending, solicitor Mike Brief informed how his shopper was ‘completely ashamed of his behaviour’ and was ‘lucky he had met his match’ in Jean.
Mr Brief informed the courtroom: ‘The footage helps the actual fact she is one very courageous woman.
‘He’s lucky that he came across a Dundee woman who doesn’t scare simply. It might be that this woman, who needed to defend herself, won’t have any long run downside, however different folks may do on this state of affairs.
‘He’s lucky that he met his match – and extra.
‘He’s mortified about his behaviour towards a woman of her age. He has crossed a line and he understands that.
‘Individuals have to understand you can not do that and it’s unfair for the general public to be in worry of the sort of behaviour. The medication are his downside.’
Jean informed the File she now not feels protected when going to work.
She added: ‘I used to go away my home and stroll up, darkish mornings, the lot, it didn’t trouble me. Now, I both get a elevate or taxi each morning. It’s positively had an enormous impact on me.
‘I hold the door locked till the woman who works within the store arrives. I hate being within the store alone within the morning.
‘I don’t really feel protected anymore. It’s simply the impact of what that scumbag did. Now, at any time when an individual is available in, I do a double take.
‘My household have observed the impact it’s had on me. And my prospects too, as a result of they’ve been coming right here for thus lengthy now. They’ve stated how completely different I’m because it occurred. I’m quite a bit quieter too.’
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