A career criminal who robbed a young Perth betting shop employee in a terrifying city centre attack has been jailed for five years.
Gavin Mann pinned his victim against a wall and threatened him with a knife before fleeing with £1,745 in takings, which were due to be deposited in a bank.
The 35-year-old fled after being challenged by members of the public, but though he was swiftly identified, he had blown the money on a car by the time police apprehended him.
Mann’s solicitor admitted his record was “unenviable”.
He said: “Mr Mann accepts culpability in relation to this matter. He accepts that they were pre-planned and his explanation is that he was taking certain substances at the time.
“He’s ashamed by his actions.”
Sentencing him Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “You have a very significant record, which commences in 1998. You have been convicted on a number of occasions for crimes of dishonesty and violence.
“These are serious offences and you have already accepted that you are facing a significant period in custody.”
Perth Sheriff Court had previously heard that Mann had been gathering information on the working of the betting shop and its employees for weeks.
He had ingratiated himself with an old school friend who worked at the betting shop and over the next few days and weeks became a regular customer.
In fact, he was using the friend to learn about the workings of the business in preparation for a robbery.
He made one previous attempt to rob another employee using the same method but was unsuccessful
However on September 2 last year he was able to prey upon a younger member of staff.
His victim was not physically injured but was left “frightened, emotional and disturbed”.
Mann, of Drumhar Court in Perth, admitted carrying out the robbery in Guard Vennel on the city’s High Street.
He also pleaded guilty to two other crimes which saw him throw bricks through the windows of Fone Master in Scott Street On July 20 and A&M Hodge in North Methven Street on July 24.
Mann stole a £400 iPad from the former and £1,333 of cigarettes and £650 of alcohol from the latter.
Sheriff Foulis ordered him to serve three years in custody in relation to the robbery and a further two for the housebreaking offence.
