AN ALCOHOLIC has been jailed for attacking a shop worker.

Darren Brownlie, 46, goaded the Marks & Spencer staff member, threatening: "Come on, you s****bag. I'm going to murder you."

Fiscal depute Graham Macdonald told Glasgow Sheriff Court this week that it was around 5pm when the accused entered the store and began to act suspiciously.

A department manager entered into conversation with Brownlie, to which he menaced: "Who the f*** are you?"

The accused then lunged towards the man and attempted to hit him on the body. Brownlie was then ejected from the store by security as he shouted, swore and made threats to kill his victim.

Brownlie later admitted acting in an aggressive manner at the Marks & Spencer store in West End Retail Park on June 1, 2018.

He also pleaded guilty to stealing a bottle of alcohol from Tesco Metro in Sauchiehall Street on April 23 this year. The wine – worth £3.50 – was never recovered.

In defence, Emma Crilley agreed that her client committed a serious offence when "people were just going about their daily business".

She highlighted that the accused was frank and honest with the Criminal Justice Social Work team about his chronic alcohol problem, but noted that he was the only one who could change that.

Ms Crilley stated that Brownlie's health has continued to deteriorate and he now suffers from blackouts and memory loss.

She conceded: "His record is lengthy."

Sheriff Mary McCrory admonished Brownlie for the Tesco wine theft, but sentenced him to four months in jail for the outburst at M&S. She told the accused, of Great Western Road, he would have received a community-based punishment had he not lashed out.