Thug jailed after robbing two men near Dundee FC’s Dens Park

A thug who attacked and robbed two men in the street, leaving them both injured, has been jailed.

Paul Whyte, 31, was jailed today for four years and nine months at Dundee Sheriff Court and placed on a licence, which will last for a further year and 10 months after his release.

Whyte committed both of the attacks within three weeks of each other, on the same spot of Provost Road, near to Dundee FC’s Dens Park ground.

The court heard Whyte first targeted Robert Phin, 47, as he left a pub shortly before midnight on August 13 last year.

Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson said Whyte’s girlfriend Hollie Rodger approached Mr Phin, then Whyte grabbed him by the neck and pushed him into a close.

Whyte then put him in a headlock, pushed him to the ground and rummaged through his pockets.

He then ran off with Mr Phin’s mobile phone and £140 cash.

Three weeks later on September 3, Whyte attacked Ian Minto, 43, at the same location.

Mr Minto walked into the close and Whyte jumped onto his back, pushed him to the ground and stole £300 from his pockets.

Whyte then ran off and an ambulance was called for Mr Minto who received treatment for several cuts and swelling.

Police reviewed CCTV and saw Whyte and Ms Rodger running off from the scene.

An independent witness also identified them both as having been loitering in the area shortly before the offence.

Whyte, a prisoner at Perth, admitted two charges of assaulting and robbing the men.

Solicitor Ann Duffy, defending, said: “He was looking to fund his drug addiction and picked on these men in a vulnerable state.

“Although these offences were opportunistic and violent, I think fortunately the injuries were not significant.”

The court heard Whyte had a long list of previous convictions, which Sheriff Alastair Brown labelled “atrocious”.

The sheriff added: “You selected victims who were vulnerable, assaulted and robbed them and did significant psychological harm to one of them — probably to both.”