Jail for burglars who targeted top brief

TWO armed thugs who robbed the house of one of Scotland's top lawyers have each been locked up for three years and four months.

Alexander Stevens and Jordan Demarco confronted QC Ian Duguid at his Edinburgh home while clutching a meat cleaver and a 10-inch knife.

The pair were later caught when the vehicle they were travelling in smashed into a police car called to the incident.

Stevens, 20, and Demarco, 19, were each out of jail just a matter of days when they raided Mr Duguid's property on October 18 last year.

They returned to the dock today after previously admitting to the assault and robbery.

Judge Lord Kinclaven sentenced the pair at the High Court in Glasgow and also ordered that they be supervised for a further 12 months on their release.

Getaway driver Frankie Gilmour was locked up for 18 months after he pled guilty to taking part in the break-in, but faced no charge in connection with the assault and robbery.

The 21 year-old was ordered to firstly serve 180 days from a previous sentence before that term begins.

The court earlier heard how Mr Duguid, 55, and his wife Elaine, 52, were asleep at their home in Murrayfield when they heard noises from downstairs.

The QC spotted the robbers and yelled to his wife Elaine: "They have knives".

Demarco had a meat cleaver and Stevens was armed with a 10-inch blade.

She dialled 999 while Mr Duguid was confronted by demands to hand over car keys.

The robbers eventually fled, but a police car heading towards the scene crashed into their vehicle as it shot out in front of them.

A haul of items – including a plasma TV, a laptop, an iPod and a bottle of champagne – were found in the boot of the car.

The court heard today that Stevens – described by his lawyer as a "disengaged young man" - had been back on the streets four days after serving a period on remand.

He was also the subject of seven bail orders at the time.

Demarco had been sentenced to six months on October 14 for road traffic offences, but that term was backdated allowing him to be released.

His solicitor-advocate Stuart Carson said Demarco's girlfriend had been so disgusted by the robbery, she dumped him.

Mr Duguid – also a part-time sheriff – has been involved in a number of high profile cases.

He defended Robert Cunningham – convicted in 2009 of killing Dundee toddler Brandon Muir.

The QC also represented pizza restaurant murderer Juan Carlos Crispin and acted for Daanish Zahid, who was jailed for his role in the brutal death of Glasgow teenager Kriss Donald.