Man convicted of blowing up Clydebank cash machine

A man has been convicted of blowing up a cash machine in a late night raid leaving a man seriously injured in the rubble.

49 year-old James Deeney denied causing the blast and claimed he was out walking his dog in the area.

Deeney, from Clydebank, chose a machine at his local Farmfoods as his target.

However, the blast went wrong leaving his male accomplice, who cannot be named for legal reasons, with skull and brain injuries.

Deeney was found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to forcing entry to a lockfast ATM using gas with intent to steal.

He was also charged with unlawfully and maliciously causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious damage to property.

The masked pair in dark clothes raced over to the ATM.

Jurors were shown dramatic CCTV footage of the sudden blast which swept one of the men off their feet, leaving him unconscious.

Prosecutor Stephen McCloy said: "Things didn't go to plan.

"The machine was breached but they didn't manage to get the money.

"This was because the male caught in the blast and was seriously injured.”

Laura Alison, who lived nearby, told jurors her “whole house shuddered” when the explosion went off.

999 was dialled by members of the public who were close by.

Ambulance crews took the man to hospital for treatment.

He sustained a skull and facial fractures plus bleeding and bruising to the brain.

Deeney was interviewed by police the next day and denied involvement in the robbery.

When officers asked him why his van was in the area, Deeney said that he was looking for his dog.

The father-of-two later told officers that he told them "porky pies" but maintained his innocence.

Sentence was deferred by Judge Michael O’Grady QC and Deeney will learn his fate in October.

Deeney was remanded in custody in the meantime.

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