Couple scared to go out after robbery bid

MASKED thugs repeatedly threatened to stab a husband and wife during a terrifying hold-up as they walked home from a Christmas party.

Police are hunting a “pockmarked” attacker and his balaclava-wearing accomplice after the “very nasty” attack left the couple too scared to leave their home.

The husband and wife – aged 59 and 62 – had been walking home along Ladywell Road at around 10.30pm on Tuesday when they were attacked.

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The thugs punched the man in the head, forcing him into the main road where cars had to swerve to avoid hitting him while his wife pleaded with the pair to leave them alone.

One of the yobs, who pursued the man into traffic, kept repeating: “I’m going to stab you” as the victim tried to calm the situation.

The shocking ordeal only ended when the couple fled towards Corstorphine Police Station. Pc Marion Fraser, one of the officers investigating the attempted robbery, said it was a “very nasty” incident that had deeply affected the victims.

“Thankfully, neither of them is seriously injured, but it could have been much worse,” she said. “However, both are traumatised by what happened. I spoke to them and the women just burst into tears and hasn’t slept. It’s really shaken them up.”

The couple had been walking home from a party in a nearby pub when two men passed them. When the couple caught them up at Ladywell House, the thugs asked for a cigarette before one pulled on a balaclava and they launched their attack.

Pc Fraser said: “They’ve punched the man to the head and then the smaller suspect, who was the more aggressive, has continually said ‘I’m gonna stab you’.

“The man’s been forced on to the road and they have kept following him.”

Cars had to swerve to avoid hitting the victim and police are hoping passing motorists will contact them with information.

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Asked how the victims were recovering, Pc Fraser said the woman was “highly traumatised”.

“I don’t think she’ll get over that for a while,” she said. “Any assault and robbery is horrible for the people involved. These are two older people who had just enjoyed a very nice night and have lived in the community all their life. They are now wondering who it was [that did this] and are scared to walk about the area. They both thought they were going to be stabbed.”

Police are appealing for witnesses.

The first suspect is white, in his early 20s, 5ft 5in tall with a slight build, short blond hair, clean-shaven but with a pockmarked and acne-scarred complexion. He was wearing a bluish grey hooded top and dark tracksuit bottoms.

The second suspect is white, between 18 and 20 years old, 6ft tall with a slim build and wearing a grey tracksuit with a hood and a black balaclava.

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