A TEENAGER who assaulted a 68-year-old shopkeeper in a robbery bid has been locked up in a young offenders institute for 22 months.
Ben French, then 17, pounced on Margaret White at Newsbite in Glasgow's Gallowgate on November 30, last year.
French, now 18, pushed Miss White and demanded her car keys before trying to make off with a till.
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He had earlier punched taxi driver William Haddow, 59, as well as demanded his phone and money.
French pleaded guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to the two assaults with intent to rob.
The court heard Mr Haddow picked Mr French and another person up from the city's Dennistoun with the city centre being the destination after 2am.
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French asked Mr Haddow to pull up during the journey.
Prosecutor Tanjeel Maleque said: "French punched Mr Haddow to the nose and said 'give me your money and give me your phone'."
Mr Haddow refused and the pair then fled the taxi towards Duke Street.
French attended Newsbite two hours later as Miss White was restocking the fridges with juice.
He asked Miss White if she drove and she said yes.
Mr Maleque added: "He demanded her car keys and she refused.
"He asked where her handbag was and she refused to tell him.
"He continuously shouted 'give me the keys and the bag, we are going to hurt you if you don't'.
"Miss White walked to the kitchen area to protect her belongings and French pushed her out the way to the front of her body."
French then went behind the till and attempted to lift it before smashing it on the floor.
It was revealed that French was on six bail orders at the time of the offences.
David McCaig, defending, told the court: "He knows how serious this was and he is ashamed of himself."
Sheriff Lindsay Wood replied: "Yes, two people who did not deserve that."
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