Ayrshire man jailed after armed robbery of couple in Glasgow park

A man who helped rob a couple at gun and knife point in Glasgow has been jailed for three years.

21-year-old Owen Ferguson had a blade when he and an unknown person armed with a handgun approached Stewart Weir, 22, and Rosemarie Paterson, 20, in a park in Garnethill in February, and made off with an iPhone and cash.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court on Tuesday Ferguson pleaded guilty to the assault and robbery of the two strangers with a knife and hand gun.

The court heard Mr Stewart met his partner in a park at around midnight after his shift.

The pair were confronted by Ferguson and his accomplice.

Ferguson brandished a silver lockback knife and demanded cash.

Prosecutor Mark Allan said: “The unknown individual then presented a silver revolver handgun.

“They were told they would be killed if they told anyone”

The attackers took a wallet, cash and a new iPhone 11 from the victims before being warned about contacting the police.

Mr Stewart was pushed on to a bench as the robbers fled the scene.

A 999 call was made but officers were unable to track Ferguson, of Saltcoats, or the other man.

Mr Allan told the court Stewart handed himself in to his local police station after a media campaign to catch the culprits.

When quizzed, he told officers that he sold the iPhone for £500 on Gumtree and gave the other man £200.

Fraser Alexander, defending, said: “He fell into bad ways and got a drug problem. He was told violence would be used against him if he didn’t come up with £300.

“He was told he was going to be stabbed or slashed.”

Sheriff Ian Fleming said: “Assault and robbery on two complete strangers with a knife and a hand gun is inevitably going to attract a custodial sentence.

“This is a high level of criminality. I’m told you are not stupid and I have option but custody.”

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