Axe-wielding robber to be sentenced over Clydebank shop raids

An axe-wielding robber who carried out a frightening attack on a garage employee in Clydebank struck again two days later in the same town.

Published 5th Dec 2016

An axe-wielding robber who carried out a frightening attack on a garage employee in Clydebank struck again two days later in the same town.

John Rodden, 33, turned up at Old Mill Garage, on Glasgow Road, armed with the weapon and presented it to employee Gary Hume before smacking it against the counter.

Rodden, who was on bail at the time, managed to get away with pounds 415 from a cash machine during the raid on April 24 this year.

Rodden, a prisoner, carried out a second crime on April 26 when he grabbed hold of the drawer of a cash machine at Scotmid, in Riddell Street, Clydebank, and prevented an employee Christina Muir from closing it before he robbed her of pounds 330.

Rodden admitted the second offence during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh but was found guilty of the axe robbery by a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh.

A co-accused, Patrick Donnelly, 36, was acquitted of the garage armed robbery on a not proven verdict.

The court heard that Rodden had previous convictions for possession of offensive weapons and crimes of dishonesty.

The judge, Lady Scott, deferred sentence on him for the preparation of a background report and remanded him in custody ahead of sentencing next month.