Knife-wielding thug convicted of robbing woman at Clydebank bus stop

A knife-wielding thug who robbed a woman at a bus stop was angry because she only had £2 in her purse, a court was told. James McGuire, 40, threatened the woman with a knife and grabbed her purse containing the cash, a number of store cards and her driving licence.

After rifling through the contents and finding only £2 in cash, McGuire told the terrified woman “You're a f***ing joker,” before making off.

At the High Court in Glasgow McGuire, who is a prisoner in Low Moss, admitted the assault and robbery which took place at 11.10pm on February 13, at Chalmers Street, Clydebank.

Prosecutor Alan Cameron said: “The accused is single and unemployed. He has five previous analagous convictions the first was in 1995 and the most recent in 2011.”

The court heard that the woman was waiting for a bus when McGuire, who was dressed all in black approached her.

He said: 'Give me your bag' and the woman replied that she did not have a bag only a purse and a plastic bag.

McGuire then pulled out a silver kitchen knife and then rummaged through her bag and her purse which contained £2 and store cards and her driving licence.

As a bus pulled into the stop McGuire left, but not before asking his victim if she was 'a f***ing joker.'

McGuire was later stopped by police as he made his way along Kilbowie Road, in Clydebank.

He had the woman's purse and her driving licence in his pockets.

Mr Cameron said: “The accused took unwell and was taken by police to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. There is was discovered there was a knife down the back of his boxer shorts.”

Judge Lord Mulholland told McGuire: “You have got a horrific record. This is an appalling crime on a member of the public.'

He deferred sentence until next month and ordered an assessment of the risk McGuire poses to the public.