SNS GroupA man repeatedly stared at a Greggs employee and followed her to work leaving her “shocked and scared”.
Gary Young kept tabs on his victim at the store in Glasgow over nine days in October 2022.
The 49-year-old loitered outside of the shop and looked at the woman while she worked.
He made a comment about her appearance and waited at a bus stop for her to finish work.
Young went on to tail the scared employee back into Greggs after she took refuge in a nearby supermarket.
He then took a picture on his mobile phone which he claimed was to leave a “five-star review” for the store.
Young pled guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court to stalking.
The court heard that his victim was told by a colleague on October 22 that Young was staring at her.
She had known Young who had earlier loitered outside the store and stared in.
Young entered for a second time that day and stated to her: “Of course you are the most attractive one” in reference to members of staff.
This caused her to become alarmed and she went to the back of the shop.
Young also referred to the woman by name and she made her managers aware of him.
She was told not to serve Young and to go to the back of the shop when he entered.
Young entered two days later and was served by another employee.
Prosecutor Lauren Murphy-Carr said: “During this, he was angling his head towards the back of the shop where [the victim] went.”
Young filed an online complaint later that day about the member of staff who served him.
His victim was “shocked and scared” by the formal complaint and believed his behaviour would escalate.
Young entered again on October 29 and stared at her despite being served by someone else.
More than three hours later, the worker left Greggs at the end of her shift and saw Young sitting at a nearby bus stop.
Ms Murphy-Carr said: “He looked at her and she felt immediately alarmed by this and went to a nearby Co-op.”
She watched on as two busses went by and Young did not board them.
She left 15 minutes later and Young followed her around 30 steps behind.
“She walked back to Greggs as she was worried about her safety and was on the phone to her partner at the time,” Ms Murphy-Carr said.
“She was shaken and upset.”
A colleague noticed Young had a mobile phone and looked like he was taking a picture of the store.
When he was confronted he replied he was taking a picture to “leave a five-star review”.
Police were contacted on October 31 when Young attended the store for a final time.
He initially fled the scene as officers arrived but his victim gave a description which eventually led to his capture.
Young told officers: “I’m not stalking anybody.”
Sean Robertson, defending, told the court that his client is autistic and wanted to be friends with the Greggs employee.
He added: “Mr Young obviously overstepped the mark on several occasions – he said he did not wish to harass her and apologises for the upset.”
Sheriff Owen Mullan put Young under supervision for 12 months.
He told him: “You don’t need me to tell you that this behaviour is unacceptable.”
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