A robber armed with a handgun terrorised a woman in a bid to get money from a Stirling flat where he believed a sex worker lived, a court heard.
David Hunter, 39, forced his way into the property after brandishing the weapon when the victim answered the door.
Advocate depute Martin Crawford told the High Court in Edinburgh: “The accused believed the property to house a sex worker.
“He grabbed the woman by the neck with one hand and pushed the gun into her side with the other.”
The prosecutor said: “She did not know the accused. She was terrified by the accused’s actions.”
The intruder began repeatedly making demands for money and took her to the kitchen at gunpoint, where she tried to look for money.
She attempted to call the police but Hunter took her phone.
He began rifling through a bedroom to find cash and she again made a bid to escape but Hunter grabbed her and dragged her back into the flat.
Menaced members of the public
A delivery driver heard a scream and saw the victim in the doorway in a state of distress.
Hunter let go of the woman, who did not speak English but was able to gesture to witnesses she had been choked and to call the police.
Hunter climbed out of a back window and walked towards a man, pointing the gun at him.
He then returned to the common close where the flat was and brandished the weapon at other witnesses before leaving.
Hunter, of Lambert Terrace, Alloa, was tracked down through descriptions of his appearance and CCTV footage.
The advocate depute said: “He was interviewed by police, during which he repeatedly said he had no memory of the events of the afternoon.”
The recycling centre worker admitted assaulting the woman and robbing her of a mobile phone on September 5 last year, when he appeared at court via a video link to prison.
He pointed the handgun at her, seized her neck, demanded money, grabbed her phone from her, seized her by the head and body and struggled with her.
Remanded and deferred
The court heard Hunter was previously jailed for sexual assault and for dangerous driving.
Defence solicitor advocate Gordon Martin said the handgun used by Hunter was an airsoft BB pistol.
Judge Lord Scott told Hunter: “You have pleaded guilty to an extremely serious charge.”
He adjourned sentencing for the preparation of a background report and risk assessment.
He told Hunter he will continue to be remanded until a sentencing hearing on July 15 at the High Court in Glasgow.
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