A DUNDEE man was yesterday found guilty of carrying out an armed raid on a Brechin post office.

James Carroll Paul Kinsella (33), of Stirling Street, had denied the offence but on the third day of his trial at the High Court in Perth the jury returned a majority guilty verdict.

The charge alleged that on April 1 last year, at Montrose Street post office, Brechin, with his face masked, Kinsella assaulted Frances Reid, pushed her against a counter, placed his arm around her neck, held a knife against her neck, repeatedly demanded money from sub-postmaster Pauline Ray and attempted to rob Mrs Ray of money.

He also admitted that on April 7 at the Dalhousie Bar, Market Street, Brechin, he assaulted David Soutar, c/o Tayside Police, and struck him on the head with a glass to his severe injury and permanent disfigurement.

Advocate depute David Young said the circumstances of the attempted robbery had been brought out during the trial.

Turning to the assault, he said that the victim was in the bar when Kinsella and a companion entered at around 9 pm.

Both were unknown to Mr Soutar (38) but one of his friends had met them before.

During the evening Kinsella’s companion challenged one of the men about what he was looking at and something was said about them not liking Soutar’s laugh.

Mr Soutar and his friends detected a change in the atmosphere and decided to drink up and leave.

Before they could go Kinsella got up and walked towards Soutar.

He walked behind the man before smashing a glass tumbler on the back of his head.

At this stage Kinsella was ushered out of the bar.

Mr Soutar suffered a laceration to the back of his head and one to the base of his neck.

The wound was treated with adhesive and staples but left a scar, said the advocate depute.

Lady Anne Smith said that in light of the seriousness of the charge of which Kinsella had been found guilty, and the charge he admitted, he would be remanded in custody until he was sentenced.

She deferred sentence until July 7 at the High Court in Edinburgh for a social inquiry report to be prepared.