A Moray man who robbed a taxi driver while armed with a metal baton has been jailed.
Scott Burns, 23, intimidated Alexander Morrison by producing the weapon before snatching £50 from the frightened 68-year-old.
Burns appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday on remand from HMP Porterfield in Inverness.
He admitted robbing the taxi driver in the early hours of Sunday, October 24.
After leaving a bar in Buckie’s Cluny Square, Burns approached Mr Morrison and asked to be taken to the Commercial Hotel in Keith.
Fiscal Kevin Corrins said that, while in the back of Mr Morrison’s cab, Burns continued “putting on and taking off a pair of black gloves”.
The fiscal added: “After being dropped off, Burns took a large note from his pocket and asked for it to be changed into smaller denominations.
“As Mr Morrison went to do this, he saw the accused display something he described as being 8 inches long and silver in colour.”
The court heard how the startled pensioner reeled away from what he thought to be a blade, whereupon Burns grabbed the cash from his hand.
Burns, however, left a gym bag in the rear of Mr Morrison’s cab and police dogs were later able to track him down while he was hiding in a nearby garden.
The dogs also sniffed out the baton, which Burns had made a hasty attempt to hide.
Representing Burns, solicitor Brent Lockie claimed the retractable weapon had been given to his client that night by a friend.
He said the accused was “shocked” when he learned the age of his victim.
Citing his “appalling record” of offending, Sheriff Marion McDonald jailed Burns for seven months and two weeks.
