Bogus window cleaner who robbed pensioner, 84, in Edinburgh street attack escapes jail

Douglas Hogg watched on as the 84-year-old man withdrew cash from a bank in the capital’s Leith area earlier this year.

Man charged after 84-year-old robbed in Leith

The victim was left bloodied after suffering cuts to his head and hands and was said to have been left in a “distressed” state following the attack in February.

Hogg also attempted to scam homeowners out of cash when he pretended to be a window cleaner at homes in the Telford area of the city just days prior to the attack on the pensioner.

The violent conman managed to talk two householders into handing over small amounts of cash when he turned up at their door asking for payment.

Hogg, from Royston, Edinburgh, admitted five offences when he appeared at the capital’s sheriff court last month and he returned to the dock on Friday for sentencing.

Sheriff Donald Corke was told Hogg had spent four months on remand and decided to place him on a 12-month drug treatment and testing order in a bid to curb his offending.

The drug order means Hogg will have to give eight blood samples a month to prove he is staying off illicit substances.

Previously the court was told Hogg watched on as the 84-year-old man withdraw cash from an RBS branch in Leith before following him and barging into him from behind.

Fiscal depute Lorna Ferrier said: “The accused apologised and said he was running for a bus. The accused then walked off and then ran away.

“The complainer noticed his envelope was missing. He returned to the bank and was in a distressed condition and was bleeding from his forehead and left hand.”

Concerned RBS staff helped conduct a search for the missing cash but then called in the police after realising it was had been stolen.

Cowardly Hogg was captured on CCTV watching the pensioner within the bank and he was soon traced, arrested and charged.

The court also heard Hogg attended at several addresses at the city’s Davidson Road pretending to be their window cleaner at around 5.30pm on February 5 this year.

Two homeowners handed over small amounts of cash before becoming suspicious and calling in the police.

The court was also told Hogg had carried out a second violent robbery when he attacked a man who had just withdrawn £30 from an ATM at the city’s Ferry Road on February 5.

The victim left a taxi to use the cash machine at around 4.30am but was attacked from behind by Hogg who elbowed him in the ribs before grabbing the cash and running away.

Hogg also pleaded guilty to a charge of breaching a curfew by being outwith his home between 7pm and 7am on February 13 this year.

Solicitor Graeme Runcie, defending, said his client had suffered from “significant difficulties with illicit substances” at the time of the offences.

Mr Runcie added: “It was the use of Xanax and cocaine which impacted on his behaviour and his ability to accurately recollect his actions.”