A 'LOUTISH' woman used Facebook to send a threatening message to a community shop worker — then turned up at the premises and told staff: "I'm gonnae murder yous."
Lesley-Ann Crawford stormed into the Helping Hands store on Greenock's Kilblain Street and placed a man and two women in states of fear and alarm as she shouted abuse.
Crawford, 27, was 'immediately threatening and aggressive' during the alarming lunchtime incident and had to be forcibly removed from the premises due to her tirade.
Prosecutor Lindy Scaife told Greenock Sheriff Court: "The accused shouted and swore and stated, 'Aye 'mon then, I'm here now'.
"She continued to shout and swear and resisted being put out but was eventually removed, with staff locking themselves within to prevent her from re-entering."
The court heard how jobless Crawford was 'talking herself into prison' by wanting to 'pick and choose' her punishment for the offence — and not being keen on unpaid work.
She targeted a mother, father and their grown-up daughter during the incident on June 6 following an apparent fall-out regarding a previous relationship.
Crawford initially posted a message to the mum in which she threatened that she was going to 'harm' the woman's daughter.
Fiscal depute Ms Scaife said: "The mother replied by stating that the police would be contacted and she later received a screenshot of a post by the accused, saying that she was en-route to the shop.
"At 1.45pm the accused entered the shop and she was immediately threatening and aggressive."
The court heard that after being turfed out of the premises, Crawford went into a white van and then came back out and made a beeline for the shop for a second time.
Ms Scaife said: "She began banging on the shop windows whilst shouting and swearing.
"She stated, 'Aye 'mon I'm gonnae murder yous'.
"The accused then got back into the van and left."
Crawford, of Kilmacolm Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner and placing the occupants of the shop in states of fear and alarm.
Her pleas of not guilty to allegations of having a weapon in the form of a screwdriver and to assaulting the man by repeatedly punching him on the head and body were accepted.
Defence lawyer Aidan Gallagher said: "There is a background to this case and I do not propose to rehearse that, but there was previously a relationship and there had been a connection between parties.
"It doesn't excuse what she did but she had been drinking.
"The background report suggests that the court might consider a non-custodial disposal."
Sheriff Derek Hamilton responded: "She doesn't seem to keen on that. She seems to be talking herself into a custodial sentence."
The sheriff told Crawford: "The general public are fed up of behaviour like this — it was loutish behaviour in the middle of the day in the town.
"You want to pick and choose your disposal but in doing so you are taking away the alternatives to custody.
"I am prepared to give you a chance with a community payback order with supervision and unpaid work, but only if you are prepared to adhere to such an order."
Crawford was told that she will be under supervision for 18 months and must complete 100 hours of unpaid work within six months.
She is to attend a progress review hearing at the court on January 24.
Sheriff Hamilton warned her: "If you mess around the order will be revoked and you will be re-sentenced."