Robber jailed after shop keeper pulled off disguise and recognised him

Mohammed Jabran, who had a previous convictions for possessing an offensive weapon and drug charges, was jailed for 34 months at the High Court in Edinburgh  yesterday.

The court heard that the 20-year-old had been freed  150 days early from jail before staging the armed hold-up in Colinton Mains Drive.

The decision to free Jabran before completing his original sentence was today condemned as “staggering”.

Terrified shopkeeper Javed Iqbal, who was a family friend of the robbers, previously told the Evening News how the ordeal had left him suffering flashbacks and made him scared to continue working at his store.

Jabran and two other men wore horror film masks to raid the shop, pointing a long black pistol at Mr Iqbal and threatening to shoot him if he did not empty the till. But, as they fled, Mr Iqbal was able to pull away the mask of one suspect and was shocked to see he knew the robber.

Today, Mr Iqbal said: “I think 34 months is a fair sentence for what he did. I was disappointed to find out that he robbed me after being released early from prison. If he had still been in jail this would not have happened to me. It’s an unfair system because people like me end up the victims.”

Defence advocate Susan Duff, representing Duff, told the court that Jabran had asked her to apologise. “Having had time to reflect on what he did he can see how awful and frightening his behaviour was in this shop. He very much regrets that his action has brought shame to his family.”

She added that Jabran  now plans to use his time in detention to study for an Open University degree.

Lord Turnbull ordered that Jabran’s new 34-month sentence should begin after he has served 150 days left over from his last detention.

Scottish Conservative chief whip John Lamont said:  “This is another staggering example of a staggering  policy. It is categorical proof that automatic early release should be scrapped at  once.”

The court saw CCTV footage of the incident at the convenience store in Colinton Mains Drive after three men burst in.