A psychiatric report has been called for on a 26-year-old Inverness man who claims he was suffering from mental illness when he robbed a city bookmaker’s premises at knifepoint.
Marco Conti appeared for sentence at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday but defence lawyer Mike Chapman asked for a further deferral after being told of his client’s explanation.
Mr Chapman told Sheriff Margaret Neilson: “He attributes this offence to mental illness he was suffering from at the time.
“My office has been trying to obtain a report from New Craigs Hospital since last October and only this morning I was told it should be available within the next seven days. Of course, I don’t know what it will contain.”
Sheriff Neilson agreed to defer sentence again until July 16.
At an earlier hearing last month, Conti, who is originally from East Lothian but lived in Inverness, was captured on CCTV checking out the bookmaker’s shop in Hilton three times before returning in disguise to rob it at knifepoint.
Wearing a bicycle helmet and a scarf over his face, Conti got away on his black and white mountain bike with £6,320.
But a sharp-eyed policeman recognised Conti from the footage and, when DNA was found on the knife, the bike and the helmet matched the former Holyrood High School pupil, he was arrested 19 days later.
Conti, c/o 28 Preston Terrace, Prestonpans, East Lothian, admitted assaulting Ladbrokes manager Robert MacPherson at his Balloan Park bookmakers premises in Inverness on September 29 last year, and robbing him, armed with a knife and with his face masked.
Conti was again remanded in custody.