Masked robber told victim ‘I’m awfy sorry’

A MASKED man who tried to rob his mother’s 71-year-old next door neighbour has been jailed for four years.

Barry Moreland, 37, let himself into Celia McIntosh’s home, wearing stockings over his face as a mask, wielding an imitation pistol. But when the pensioner recognised his voice, he took the stockings off and told her: “I’m awfy sorry about this.”

Mrs McIntosh was shaken by the incident and suffers from disturbed sleep and flashbacks.

Moreland, who has previous convictions for assault with intent to rob and assault and robbery, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday to assaulting Mrs McIntosh, going into her house in Stenhousemuir, Stirlingshire, and pointing an imitation gun demanding money. He also admitted being in possession of an imitation firearm. The offences happened on 9 April.

Jailing Moreland, judge Lord Bracadale told him: “You have pled guilty to attempting to rob a neighbour of your mother.

“Mrs McIntosh was badly shaken by the incident and the aggravating factors are you entered her house uninvited, you were masked and had an imitation firearm.

“Most significantly, you have a previous conviction at the High Court for a similar offence.”

The court heard Moreland was after drug money and his mother had refused to ask friends if she could borrow money to give him.

Peter McCormack, prosecuting, told the court Mrs McIntosh and Moreland’s mother were good friends and Moreland had known her throughout his life.

The court heard Mrs McIntosh has suffered disturbed sleep and flashbacks since the incident. She used to be happy to leave her house unlocked when she was at home but now locked her doors and did not like being there on her own.

Defence advocate Joe Cahill said: “He bitterly regrets the situation he put Mrs McIntosh in and apologises to her.”