A six-foot yob “rag-dolled” a “petite” store manager who challenged her for shoplifting from a branch of Pets at Home.
Allison Morgan, 32, attacked Shanice Cameron in the car-park at Phoenix Retail Park, in Paisley, by grabbing her by her hair and swinging her from side to side in front of horrified witnesses.
Clumps of the victim’s hair were pulled out of her scalp, and she was left with a cut next to her left eye after Morgan also rained blows on her during the onslaught.
Witnesses told a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court how Morgan, who is around 6ft tall, grabbed 5ft 4in Ms Cameron, in her 20s, by her hair on the morning of November 17 last year after she confronted her over stealing a bag containing trays of dog food.
Ms Cameron told how she went after Morgan, a customer who left after “failing to pay for items,” when she was suddenly assaulted.
She said: “She grabbed my hair. I asked her to let go of the bag. She was shouting things at me. There was a struggle. I think my hair was grabbed again.
“I remember another customer finally ripped my hair out of her hand.
“There was a significant patch of my hair missing. I was scratched on the left side of my face.
“I had to go to hospital because I couldn’t move my neck. I was unable to go back to work because I was unable to move my neck.”
The victim added she felt “shocked” and “scared” by Morgan’s ferocity.
Another witness, Alan Doran, 31, who was picking up an item at Argos that morning, told the court how he felt he was compelled to “step in,” and intervene after witnessing the attack.
He said: “The shop worker was 5ft 4in. The other woman was 6ft.
“She said to her, ‘If you leave the bag I will let you go.’
“She attempted to reach the bag. At that point the woman grabbed her by her hair and pulled her downwards.
“She was hitting her in the face. The shop worker was pulling back trying to release herself.
“She was being struck on her head and body.
“I thought this wasn’t right. The size of the accused compared to the size of the shop worker, and it made me step in.”
Another witness Victoria McDonald, 25, described how Morgan “rag-dolled” the victim.
She said: “The young girl was quite petite. She tried to snatch the bag back when it ripped and she was assaulted.
“The woman grabbed her by her hair and pulled her down.
“She was being rag-dolled.
“She was getting swung about by the hair.
“That is when other members of the public got involved and helped get her hands off the girl’s hair.
“The girl seemed quite panicked. She had a cut in her face and clumps of her hair were in the other woman’s hand.”
Witness PC Jack Brown, 24, told how he attended the incident and arrested Morgan for assault, shoplifting and public disorder, when she immediately told him, “I have been doing this for years. It is the only way I can survive.”
Morgan, of Birch Place, Renfrew, who also gave evidence at the trial, claimed that Ms Cameron had been armed with a knife and she feared she was being mugged in the car park.
She told the trial: “She had a knife and she was trying to rob me.
“I didn’t know she was a shop worker. I thought I was being attacked.
“She was a wee smout. That’s why she got rag-dolled.”
Morgan also claimed she only turned to stealing because she “could not survive on her benefits,” and added she owes “lots of people money.”
Sheriff Brian Mohan, who listened to two-days of evidence, found her guilty of charges of assault and shoplifting.
She was also found not proven on the third charge of public disorder.
Defence agent Anthony Boland urged the court to release his client on bail while background reports are collated in preparation for sentencing.
Sheriff Mohan told Morgan: “You are a 32-year-old woman who has not been in court very often, but you have been in prison before.
“It is clear that you need help.”
Morgan had to be repeatedly warned by the Sheriff for using bad language in court, especially as the verdict was handed down to her.
She will discover her fate on October 5 when her case calls again.
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