An armed robber who held up a takeaway – then asked workers who overpowered him to feed him while they waited for police to arrive – was today jailed for three years and nine months.
Ian Robertson stormed in to Punjab Tandoori in Dundee’s Balmoral Terrace and brandished a broken bottle at a 15-year-old worker while demanding he open the till.
The terrified teenager fled to the kitchen to summon help and two other workers came out to challenge Robertson.
As he attempted to force his way in to the till the two staff first wrestled the bottle from his hand then managed to drag him to a storeroom to hold him while the teenager called police.
While he sat waiting on police to arrive the brazen crook told the men he was “feeling hungry” and “wanted some food”.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court: “He entered the shop and jumped over the counter and brandished the bottle at the 15-year-old working there.
“He ran to the kitchen as he was terrified and two colleagues came in to the front counter area.
“The accused tried to open the till himself but one of the men took his hand and grabbed the broken bottle from him.
“The other member of staff grabbed him, restrained him and placed him in a store room.
“Whilst he was sitting in the room waiting on police he said he was hungry and wanted some food.
“Police arrived a short time later and he was detained to which he replied ‘silly idiot’ and took full responsibility.”
Robertson, 39, a prisoner at HMP Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of attempted robbery committed on August 30.
Defence solicitor Billy Rennie said: “He’s 39-years-old and has an unenviable record of dishonesty.
“He had no idea the 15-year-old was in fact 15.
“It was simply opportunistic conduct by him.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown jailed Robertson for three years and nine months.
He said: “You committed armed robbery at commercial premises aggravated by the fact your victim was only 15 and further by your record.
“Its to some extent mitigated by the fact you showed remorse early on.
“I recognise that as nasty a broken bottle is as a weapon it was not a big knife.”
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