Man who forced cabbie to rob Kirkcaldy bank jailed for over six years
Andrew Patrick's been sentenced to 6 years and 9 months
A cash-strapped gym instructor who forced a taxi driver to rob a bank for him in Kirkcaldy has been jailed for six years and nine months.
On November 11th 2015 Andrew Patrick held a gun - which later turned out to be fake - at his petrified victim before giving him a bag said to have a bomb inside.
Patrick – who pretended to be Polish – ordered the cabbie to steal cash from a Bank of Scotland branch in the town.
The victim handed over a note to staff which claimed they had only minutes to fill the bag – and that devices would go off if police were called.
The letter also claimed the driver had a bomb strapped to him.
When he eventually left the bank with almost £10,000, Patrick was gone.
The 40 year old's actions resulted in a major evacuation of the surrounding area, as armed police and an army bomb unit attended the scene.
The explosives were luckily found to be fake each consisting of little more than tubes, cotton wool and a mobile phone circuit board.
Detective Sergeant Graeme Dursley of Kirkcaldy CID said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the taxi driver and members of staff at the bank, especially given the threat of an alleged explosive device, who must be commended for their bravery throughout the ordeal last November.
“I want to praise the taxi driver and the bank staff for their courage and their assistance during our investigation.
“The business premises around the bank deserve our thanks too for providing us with vital CCTV footage as well as the wider community of Kirkcaldy for their continued support of this investigation.
“Officers responded quickly to ensure the safety of local residents, utilising EOD resources to ensure there was no threat posed by the device.
“It is also a testament to the extensive inquiries carried out by the investigation team to identify Patrick as the assailant that he will now spend a significant period of time in jail.”