A thief at Asda fatally injured a security guard while resisting capture for stealing alcohol.

A man's life was tragically cut short when a shoplifter, Natasha Smith, caused him to suffer from a heart attack during a struggle at a local supermarket. This incident, which occurred on June 30, 2024 at the Asda store in Arbroath, Angus, has left a family grieving and a community in shock. The victim, 61-year-old Alun Harris-Richards, was a security guard who was simply doing his job when he was fatally injured.

It was revealed in court that Smith, 38, had been attempting to flee with stolen alcohol when she repeatedly tried to pull a bag from Mr Harris-Richards. In the midst of the struggle, the victim fell to the ground, suffered a head injury, and ultimately passed away due to his undiagnosed heart disease. Despite the efforts of store staff, customers, and paramedics to save him, Mr Harris-Richards died at the scene.

Smith, who also admitted to assaulting another shop worker during the incident, was sentenced to five years and four months in jail by Lady Haldane at the High Court in Edinburgh. The judge acknowledged that while Smith did not intend for Mr Harris-Richards to lose his life, she must still take responsibility for her actions. The victim impact statements from those close to Mr Harris-Richards showed that he was a beloved member of his family and his loss has had a profound impact on them.

It was revealed in court that Smith has a history of prior convictions for drug offenses and was struggling with alcohol addiction at the time of the incident. Her lawyer, Kris Gilmartin, stated that she feels deep remorse for her actions and understands the weight of the consequences. He also mentioned that Smith had a traumatic childhood and was exposed to drugs at a young age.

In response to the sentencing, Moira Orr, who leads on homicide for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, expressed her condolences to the family and friends of Mr Harris-Richards. She emphasized that this was an unprovoked attack and that Smith's actions had tragic consequences. The community is mourning the loss of a beloved man and Smith will now serve time for her crime.