‘Bonnie and Clyde’ jailed for holding up post office with a samurai sword

Francis McLean, 50, received a sentence of five years and three months, while his accomplice, Valene Brown, 21, was given three years.

A judge praised the courage of Aiden Gilani, 25, the assistant who tackled them, but warned that he could have put himself in danger.

“Clearly, his actions were extremely brave but could have resulted in serious consequences indeed for him,” said Lord Hardie at the High Court in Edinburgh.

McLean, of Erskine Way, Livingston, and Brown, of Glen Crescent, Livingston, admitted the raid at the town’s Knights-ridge post office and convenience store on 24 May.

Their faces were partially covered, and McLean pulled a sword with a 20in-long blade from his sleeve. Mr Gilani, son of the owner, who was working alone in the shop and had left open the door to the post office booth, was ordered to lie on the floor and McLean held him down with a foot on his body while he removed cash from a safe.

“Mr Gilani was scared for his life but decided he was going to try to stop them taking the money. He grabbed McLean’s wrist but McLean became very aggressive and said, ‘Just f****** sit there. If you don’t, I’m going to f****** kill you.’ Mr Gilani managed to stand up and grab the sword,” said advocate- depute Jennifer Bain.

Mr Gilani hit McLean and Brown on the head with the sword, and knocked money from their hands. They stole £16,270 from the safe, but had only £2,104 when Mr Gilani chased them out of the shop. “He watched as they got on bicycles and cycled away,” said Mrs Bain.

That night, Brown attended hospital and had staples put in two cuts to her head. Mr Gilani had recognised McLean, and he was detained by police the next day. It was six weeks before Brown was arrested.

“Mr Gilani’s father has had to make good the loss of £2,104 as Mr Gilani breached the terms of the insurance policy by failing to shut the door to the post office booth,” said Mrs Bain.

The court heard that McLean and Brown had been drinking together on waste ground and had discussed carrying out the robbery.

McLean had gone to his brother’s house and returned to the scene with the sword.

Defence solicitor-advocate Simon Collins said that McLean had been under the influence of a cocktail of drink and drugs.

Victoria Young, counsel for Brown, said she had been unaware of the sword until it was produced in the shop. She had been hoping to wipe out a drug debt of about £300.

The judge said that McLean had clearly been the “principal” in the offence. He had a record, mainly for dishonesty and drugs offences.