A shop worker who faced down an armed robber brandishing a ‘realistic’ imitation firearm was yesterday praised by a Sheriff for her bravery.
Lord Scott praised Cheryl Gourlay’s courage after watching footage of Robert Danskin trying to rob a shop in Dunfermline, Fife.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard how the 36-year-old walked into the shop wearing a balaclava brandishing a weapon described in court by prosecutor Anna Chishoim as a ‘realistic’ imitation gun.
She also said it looked ‘indistinguishable’ from a real gun.
Danskin demanded staff member Cheryl Gourlay fill a bag with money before jumping over a counter and assaulting her.
But Ms Gourlay put herself in front of the till and refused to comply with his requests.
Robert Danskin brandished a replica firearm during the attempted raid in Dunfermline
Danskin leapt over the counter with the replica gun but worker Cheryl Gourlay fought back
The attempted robbery took place at a Nisa store in Dunfermline, Fife
Ms Chisholm said: ‘Cheryl Gourlay told him he wasn’t getting money.’
She then shouted to her colleagues who came rushing to her help.
The court was then played footage of the incident which had been captured on CCTV cameras.
Lord Scott saw colleagues run over to the counter and one staff member wrestle the pistol out of Danskin’s hand whilst punching him.
His colleagues pulled Danskin’s balaclava off his head, wrestled him to the ground and restrained him there until the police arrived to arrest him.
The court heard that Danskin had a conviction for a similar offence in 2007.
Lord Scott to defer sentence, adding: ‘I am inclined to call for reports. Notwithstanding the real bravery of a number of individuals who intervened, this must have been a terrifying incident in which no one other than the accused was aware that this wasn’t a real firearm.’
The story emerged after Danskin, also of Dunfermline, pleaded guilty to assaulting Cheryl Gourlay whilst wearing a mask on his face.
The charge to which Danskin admitted states that he acted aggressively whilst demanding money and brandishing an imitation firearm at her.
He also admitted to seizing and pulling her on the body whilst attempting to rob her of money.
Ms Chisholm told the court that following his arrest, Danskin told officers that he wasn’t a ‘bad person’. She said that he was in debt to drug dealers and was concerned that he and his partner were going to be harmed by them.
She added: ‘He said “me and my girlfriend have a £1,000 crack debt. In a a weird way I wanted to get caught so I could to jail and be safe there”.’
Ms Chisholm also told the court that police officers examined the firearm and found that that it was an Airsoft gun – Airsoft is a game similar to paintball.
The advocate depute said the gun had originally been covered in blue paint to keep it in line with firearms legislation.
She added: ‘But it has been removed at some point. This gives it the look of a realistic imitation firearm.’
Ms Chisholm also said that it in appearance it looked ‘indistinguishable’ from a real firearm.
Defence solicitor advocate Ann Ogg asked Lord Scott to defer sentence.
She added: ‘Your lordship may be minded to call for a report.’
Lord Scott agreed and told Danskin that he had committed a ‘terrifying offence.’
He will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow next month.
