Newsagents robber fled on bicycle

A MASKED robber fled on a bicycle with his pockets full of cash after an armed raid on a newsagents.

Soon afterwards, a taxi driver was flagged down by two men and asked to swap 120 pound coins for notes.

Advocate depute Martin Macari, prosecuting, told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday that some of the 543 which was stolen from RS McColl's in Pennywell Road, Edinburgh, had been in pound coins.

Steven Matthews, 32, of Piersfield Terrace, Edinburgh, admitted threatening shop worker Lorraine Crawford with a knife and forcing her to open a safe soon after she had opened the store last January 23.

Another man, Dean Ellis, 21, of Inchcolm Court, West Pilton Grove, Edinburgh, walked free when his not guilty plea was accepted.

Mr Macari told judge Lord Kinclaven that Matthews had been identified from security camera footage in the shop.

The judge called for background reports.

He allowed Matthews to remain on bail pending sentence in Glasgow next month.