Man jailed for armed raid on elderly couple's Broughty Ferry home

A man who robbed an elderly couple of valuables and money during an armed raid on their Broughty Ferry home has been jailed for six years and four months today .

Brian Hill took part in the abduction and assault of Philip and Frances Youngs at their address in Strathyre Avenue, Broughty Ferry, in Dundee.

A judge told the 38-year-old at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You pled guilty to two offences. The principal offence involved a targeted and planned robbery in which you sought to take advantage of two older citizens."

Lord Turnbull pointed out that Hill's criminal record included many offences of dishonesty and told him: "You have learned nothing from your years of association with the courts."

The judge said Hill's latest crime was callous and was aggravated by occurring at the couple's home.

Lord Turnbull said items of significant value were taken in the raid and very little has been recovered. He pointed out that many of the items were gifts given to Mrs Youngs by her husband.

He told unemployed, benefit claimant Hill: "In the circumstances I have no hesitation in concluding that a substantial prison sentence is merited."

He told Hill that he would have been jailed for seven years but for his guilty plea.

Hill, a prisoner in Perth jail, earlier admitted entering the house on November 14 last year, while acting along with Ross Gillan and detaining the couple against their will and assaulting Mr Youngs, 72 and his 71-year-old wife by brandishing a sword at them, threatening violence and demanding money.

Mr Youngs was pushed and the couple were locked in a bathroom during the robbery during which jewellery, watches, a collection of money in different currencies, car keys, wallets and pounds 660 in cash were taken. Hill also admitted stealing a car from the address.

The court heard that Mr Youngs has poor mobility because of Parkinson's Disease.

On the evening of the robbery the couple were in the conservatory at their home when they became aware of the men whose faces were partially hidden by scarves.

Mr Youngs initially thought that it was his grandson and a friend playing a practical joke, but when he tried to pull down a scarf his hand was knocked away and struck him, dislodging a tooth.

One of the pair of intruders brandished a foot long ornamental sword and the pair shouted: "Give us the money and you won't get hurt. We know you have a lot of money in this house. Where is it?"

Hill went upstairs and began rummaging through drawers and cupboards before returning downstairs and the robbers asked about a safe.

Mrs Youngs explained there was no safe and took money from her purse. Cash was also taken from Mr Youngs' wallet. His wife told the intruders that her husband had Parkinson's Disease.

The couple were told they were to be locked in a bathroom. They went into the room and the door was locked behind them from the outside and a chair was placed under the handle.

They could hear the men moving around their home before managing to open the door to find the robbers gone. Among the items taken were Mr Youngs' collection of rare coins and banknotes.

The robbers took a car which belonged to a carer and it was later found abandoned in a car park in Dundee the following day. Items of jewellery stolen during the robbery were found in the vehicle.

The pair went to the home of Gillan's former partner. They were carrying a rucksack and a bin liner filled with loot from the raid. Gillan told her they had robbed the home of an old couple and that the man had Parkinson's Disease.

The woman demanded that the stolen property be removed from her home and Gillan left with it.

Hill and Gillan were arrested on November 19 at Gillan's home address in Byron Terrace, in Dundee. Gillan, 38, was earlier jailed for four years and put under supervision for a further two years for his part in the robbery.

Advocate depute Alex Prentice QC told the court that the Crown were provided with an address at which it was said that property from the robbery could be found but none of the couple's belongings were recovered there.