An armed robber was caught after posting a picture of himself on a social media site on the day of the crime wearing clothing identical to that of a raider at a bookmakers.
James Robertson, 26, struck a pose with clenched fists dressed in a hooded top, partly pulled up to cover the mouth, which detectives accessed on Facebook.
It bore the message that he changed his profile picture on February 10 this year – the same day that two robbers struck at a branch of Ladbrokes in Aberdeen.
Advocate depute Keith Stewart QC told the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday: “This is a foolish piece of bravado by the accused showing off.”
He told jurors at Robertson’s trial: “The accused dressed as one of the robbers, posing as a criminal, on the day of the robbery.”
Mr Stewart said the top was identical in colour and pattern to that worn by one of the robbers. Detectives later questioned him over the “distinctive” Adidas top worn in the picture.
Police also recovered phones belonging to Robertson and his younger cousin James Robertson, 17, and found text messages including one which said: “Only got one blade.”
The pair went into the Ladbrokes branch at Rousay Drive, in Aberdeen, with faces masked and attacked employee Lee Beattie and robbed him of a cash tray and about £1485.
They demanded money from the employee during the frightening incident and brandished a knife at him and forced him to hand over the cash tray.
The older cousin, unemployed Robertson of Hallfield Road, Aberdeen, denied to police during an interview that he was involved in the robbery.
He continued to deny the offence during his trial but was found guilty of the robbery. The younger cousin admitted his part in the offence and failing to comply with a bail curfew condition to remain at his address at Esk Place, in Aberdeen, between 8 pm and 6 am.
After the elder cousin was convicted Mr Stewart told the court that his criminal history was “extensive” and included crimes of theft, assault, road traffic offences, drugs and anti-social behaviour.
Defence counsel David Moggach, for the older cousin, said: “Given the nature of the offence, it is inevitable there will be a prison sentence. That is accepted.”
The judge, Lord Armstrong, deferred sentence on the older cousin until August 20 for the preparation of a background report when he will be joined in the dock again by his younger cousin.
